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STORIES  OF  MISSOURI 


BY 


JOHN    R.    MUSICK 

AUTHOR  OF  "THE  COLUMBIAN   HISTORICAL  NOVELS' 


NEW   YORK  •:•  CINCINNATI  •:•  CHICAGO 

AMERICAN   BOOK   COMPANY 

1897 


COPYRIGHT,  1897,  BY 
AMERICAN   BOOK  COMPANY. 


STO.   OF   MO. 
W.   P.   I 


PREFACE. 


THE  early  inhabitants  of  Missouri  were  a  peculiar 
people.  First  of  all  were  the  Indians.  When  they 
settled  there,  no  one  knows.  Next  came  the  French, 
then  the  Spaniards,  and  lastly  the  Americans.  The 
last  named  were  mostly  from  Kentucky,  Tennessee, 
and  Virginia. 

Nearly  all  the  American  settlers  in  Missouri  were 
the  descendants  of  pioneers  who  had  grown  accustomed 
to  the  trying  scenes  of  forest  life.  They  were  a  rigidly 
honest  people.  No  locks  were  on  their  doors,  and  they 
had  no  need  of  any. 

As  they  were  dependent  on  each  other  for  protection, 
what  belonged  to  one  was  freely  loaned  to  his  neighbor. 
If  a  pioneer  wanted  to  borrow  his  neighbor's  ax,  and 
did  not  find  the  man  at  home,  he  took  the  ax  without 
asking,  and  returned  it  when  done  with  it. 

The  early  Missourians  were  rude  and  uncultured,  but 
unselfish  and  brave.  Stories  of  them,  and  of  the  people 
who  preceded  and  followed  them,  are  both  entertaining 
and  instructive.  They  serve  to  explain  many  curious 
names,  customs,  and  laws,  which  to  a  person  unfamiliar 
with  the  people  must  remain  a  mystery. 

5 

M53S944 


In  the  preparation  of  these  stories,  the  author  received 
valuable  aid  from  the  following  persons  :  Dr.  Willis  P. 
King,  author  of  "  Stories  of  a  Country  Doctor  " ;  Hon- 
orable A.  A.  Lesueur,  Secretary  of  State  for  Missouri ; 
Honorable}.  A.  Wickham,  Adjutant  General;  Professor 
J.  R.  Kirk,  State  Superintendent  of  Public  Schools ; 
Professor  J.  M.  Greenwood  of  Kansas  City;  Major 
J.  B.  Merwin  of  St.  Louis  ;  and  Professor  C.  E.  Ross, 
Secretary  of  the  North  Missouri  State  Normal  School. 
Also  from  Colonel  W.  F.  Switzler's  "  History  of  Mis- 
souri." 

Many  of  these  stories  have  in  some  form  been  in 
print  before,  but  there  are  a  number  that  appear  for  the 
first  time.  Care  has  been  taken  to  select  those  typical 
of  the  time,  characteristic  of  the  people,  and  unques- 
tionably true ;  also  to  select  such  as  throw  some  light 
on  the  history  of  Missouri. 

The  author  trusts  that  this  little  volume  may  stim- 
ulate his  young  readers  to  learn  more  of  the  great 
State  in  which  they  live.  They  can  never  become  good 
citizens  without  having  some  knowledge  of  their  own 
State  and  the  people  who  founded  it. 


CONTENTS. 


i.   FRENCH  AND  SPANISH  PERIOD. 

PAGE 

I.  Father  Marquette 9 

II.  The  Explorations  of  La  Salle     .                           .         .  %I4 

III.  The  Silver  Hunter    ....  19 

IV.  The  First  Settlers 24 

V.  Pierre  Laclede,  and  the  Hunter          ....  32 

VI.  French  Missourians 39 

VII.  Attack  on  St.  Louis 45 

VIII.  Daniel  Boone  in  Missouri 53 

IX.  Maturin  Bouvet  and  the  Osages         ....  59 

2.  TERRITORIAL  PERIOD. 

X.  Louisiana  Purchase 66 

XI.  The  First  Schoolmasters 72 

XII.  Early  Missourians 78 

XIII.  Western  Boatmen 86 

XIV.  The  Blockhouse  at  the  Big  Spring    ....  96 
XV.  The  Lewis  and  Clark  Expedition       .         .         .         .  101 

XVI.  Pike  in  Northeast  Missouri 108 

XVII.  Captain  Cole.  —  A  Plucky  frenchwoman  .         .         .112 

XVIII.  Missouri  Rangers 118 

XIX.  The  Captive 125 

XX.  Boone's  Salt  Works  .                  130 

XXI.  Cooper  and  Callaway         .         .         .         .         .         .136 

XXII.  The  Earthquake  at  New  Madrid        .                           .  143 

7 


PAGE 

XXIII.  Missouri  Territory        ......     151 

XXIV.  Fanatical  Pilgrims        .         .         .         .         .         .157 

XXV.     The  Early  Lawyer     .  .         .         .         .         .         .163 

3.   EARLY  STATE  PERIOD. 

XXVI.  Thomas  H.  Benton 171 

XXVII.  Some  Customs  and  People  of  the  Past          .         .  176 

XXVIII.  The  New  Capital 183 

XXIX.  The  Big  Neck  War.  — The  Platte  Purchase         .  188 

XXX.  The  Mormons 196 

XXXI.  The  Honey  War.  —  Colonel  Gentry     .         .         .  208 

XXXII.  Doniphan  and  Price 214 


4.  CIVIL  WAR  PERIOD. 

XXXIII.  Border  Trouble    . 

XXXIV.  A  Season  of  Doubt      . 
XXXV.  Camp  Jackson      . 

XXXVI.  A  Governor's  Flight    . 

XXXVII.  A  Hero's  Death  . 

XXXVIII.  War  in  the  North 

XXXIX.  Order  Number  Eleven 

XL.  End  of  the  War  . 


223 
232 

237 
245 
250 
257 
264 
272 


PRESENT  PERIOD. 


XLI.     The  Ironclad  Oath 
XLII.     Restoration  of  Prosperity 


277 
281 


STORIES  OF  MISSOURI. 

X*< 
I. 

FATHER   MARQUETTE. 

ONE  hundred  and  thirty-two  years  after  De  Soto 
discovered  the  Mississippi  River  there  lived  in 
Canada  two  great  explorers.  One  was  a  priest  known 
in  history  as  Father  Marquette ;  the  other,  a  fur  trader 
named  Robert  de  La  Salle.  Canada  then  belonged  to 
France,  and  these  explorers  were  Frenchmen. 

Three  great  European  powers  had  at  this  time  planted 
colonies  in  North  America.  The  English  colonies  were 
along  the  Atlantic  coast,  the  Spanish  were  confined  to 
Florida  and  Mexico,  and  most  of  the  French  settle- 
ments were  in  Lower  Canada.  All  the  great  country 
now  known  as  the  Mississippi  valley  was  unexplored, 
and  no  one  lived  there  except  wandering  tribes  of 
Indian  savages. 

Marquette  and  La  Salle  had  heard  of  the  mighty 
river  from  the  Indians,  and  determined  to  go  into  the 
wilderness  in  search  of  it.  They  did  not  start  together, 
and.it  is  doubtful  if  one  knew  what  the  other's  intentions 
were,  for  their  paths  in  life  were  quite  different. 

9 


IO 

The  first  to  reach  the  Mississippi  was  the  priest. 
Father  Marquette  was  a  good  man.  He  did  not  come 
to  the  New  World  to  gain  riches,  fame,  or  power,  as  did 
many  others.  He  had  heard  that  there  were  heathen 
in  America  who  knew  not  the  true  God,  and  his  mission 
to  the  wilderness  was  to  teach  them  of  the  Great  Being 
who  made  us.  For  five  years  he  had  been  working  in 
the  region  of  the  Great  Lakes,  and  for  the  last  two 
years  his  station  was  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Michigan. 

The  Indians  talked  very  freely  with  Marquette  about 
the  great  river  and  wilderness  which  the  white  men  had 
not  yet  seen.  In  this  manner  they  kindled  within  his 
breast  a  desire  to  visit  the  tribes  which  lived  in  that 
country.  In  the  year  1673,  with  a  small  party,  he  set 
out  on  his  remarkable  journey. 

One  of  the  men  who  went  with  him  was  a  French- 
man named  Joliet.  This  explorer  was  not  a  priest,  like 
Father  Marquette,  but  an  ambitious  man.  He  too  was 
eager  to  see  the  great  river  and  the  vast  country  it 
drained,  but  he  cared  little  about  converting  the  Indians 
to  Christianity.  His  object  was  to  extend  the  territory 
and  power  of  his  king. 

Marquette  and  Joliet  embarked  on  Lake  Michigan  in 
birch-bark  canoes,  and  made  their  way  up  Green  Bay 
and  Fox  River  to  the  watershed  between  the  Missis- 
sippi and  the  Lakes.  Then  by  crossing  a  short  portage 
they  reached  the  Wisconsin  River.  The  country  be- 
tween the  Wisconsin  and  the  head  waters  of  the  Fox 
was  a  wild  prairie,  over  which  the  boatmen  were  com- 
pelled to  carry  their  light  boats  on  their  shoulders. 

Embarking  on  the  bosom  of  the  Wisconsin,  the  men 


II 


drifted  down  the  stream  in  their  canoes.  On  June  17, 
1673,  they  discovered  the  Mississippi  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Wisconsin.  They  then  began  their  voyage  down 
the  larger  stream.  From  time  to  time  they  landed  and 
searched  for  Indians,  but  for  a  long  time  saw  no  sign  of 
any.  One  day,  when  they  had  brought  their  boats  near 
the  shore,  Joliet  pointed  to  the  sandy  bank  and  said,  — 

"  There  are  some  footprints  !  " 

Father  Marquette  glanced  in  the  direction  indicated 
by  Joliet's  finger,  and  saw  that  a  path  had  been  made 
up  the  sloping  bank.  The  priest  ordered  the  boats  to 
land,  and  went  on  shore. 

"Here  is  a  path  leading  through  the  woods,"  he  said. 
"  Let  us  follow  it." 

Joliet  was  a  bold  man,  but  for  a  moment  he  hesitated. 
The  priest,  however,  knew  no  fear,  and  his  companion 
was  soon  induced  to  accompany  him  and  the  interpret- 
ers along  the  well-beaten  path.  About  six 
miles  from  the  river  they  came  upon  an  Indian 
village.  The  savages  were  surprised  at  first ; 
but  when  the  interpreters  made  themselves 
known,  they  received  the  travelers  very  kindly, 
gave  them  some  dried  venison,  and  told  them 
much  about  the  country. 

One  of  the  chiefs  gave  Marquette  a  calu- 
met. This  was  a  pipe  with  a  stone  bowl  and 
a  stem  ornamented  with  eagle's  feathers.  It 
was  an  emblem  of  peace.  He  was  told  that 
he  would  meet  hostile  Indians  on  his  way, 
and  that  if  he  held  up  the  calumet  they  would 
not  harm  him,  but  treat  him  as  a  friend. 


12 

Marquette  and  Joliet  were  advised,  however,  not  to 
proceed  down  the  river,  for  below  there  was  a  great 
demon  which  would  devour  them  if  they  persisted  in 
their  journey.  Despite  this  warning,  they  resumed 
their  voyage  as  before.  The  only  demons  that  they 
found  were  some  strange  paintings  on  a  rocky  bluff. 

Continuing  down  the  Mississippi,  supported  by  food 
obtained  from  the  Indians  along  the  shore,  they  reached 
the  mouth  of  the  Missouri  River,  where  they  landed. 
Unless  De  Soto  or  some  of  his  party  entered  the  terri- 
tory of  what  is  now  Missouri  (which  is  doubted  by 
some),  Marquette  and  his  followers  were  the  first  white 
men  that  did  so. 

That  great,  dark  stream  which  flowed  into  the  Missis- 
sippi was  called  by  Father  Marquette  Pekitanoui  (pek- 
i-tan-o-wee),  meaning  "  Muddy  Water."  The  river  was 
known  as  Muddy  Water  until  1712,  when  it  was  named 
Missouri  from  a  tribe  of  Indians  who  inhabited  the 
country  at  its  mouth. 

Resuming  their  voyage,  the  explorers  floated  some 
distance  below  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri,  and  beyond 
the  present  limits  of  the  State.  One  day  they  discov- 
ered a  number  of  Indians  armed  with  clubs  and  bows 
and  arrows,  coming  toward  them  in  canoes.  They  saw 
at  once  that  the  party  was  hostile.  The  little  band  of 
adventurers  were  unable  to  defend  themselves  against 
so  great  odds,  and  their  situation  was  desperate. 

When  the  Indians  had  come  almost  within  bowshot, 
Father  Marquette  rose  in  his  boat  and  held  aloft  the 
calumet.  That  emblem  of  peace  was  recognized,  and 
the  savages  finally  surrounded  the  white  men  as  friends. 


13 

The  travelers  were  then  taken  to  an  Indian  village, 
where  they  were  kindly  entertained  as  long  as  they 
wished  to  stay.  Marquette  and  Joliet  gave  their  hosts 
some  presents,  which  strengthened  the  bond  of  friend- 
ship. As  they  were  not  prepared  to  explore  the  river  to 
its  mouth,  they  now  turned  about  and  went  back  to  the 
settlements  in  Canada,  having  satisfied  themselves  that 
the  great  river  flowed  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

About  two  years  later  the  priest  died  while  on  a 
journey  in  the  wilderness.  He  had  but  two  companions 
with  him  at  the  time.  One  supported  his  head,  while 
the  other  held  a  crucifix  before  his  eyes  as  long  as  he 
could  see.  He  was  buried  in  the  forest  on  the  shore  of 
Lake  Michigan. 


II. 

THE  EXPLORATIONS   OF   LA   SALLE. 

WHILE  Marquette  and  Joliet  were  exploring'  the 
Mississippi,  the  fur  trader,  La  Salle,  was  trying 
to  raise  a  force  for  the  same  purpose. 

La  Salle  was  a  brave,  ambitious,  and  persevering 
man.  He  was  eager  to  extend  the  power  of  France,  in 
the  hope  that  by  so  doing  he  might  increase  his  own 
riches  and  honors.  The  stories  told  by  the  Indians 
fired  him  with  a  determination  to  find  the  great  river  of 
which  he  had  read  in  the  old  Spanish  chronicles,  and  to 
take  possession  of  it  in  the  name  of  his  king. 

The  earliest  French  explorers  had  a  wrong  idea  of 
the  course  of  the  Mississippi  River.  From  what  they 
could  gather  from  the  natives,  they  thought  that  it 
flowed  into  the  Pacific,  and  that  it  would  thus  afford  a 
passage  to  China.  Such  a  passage  would  have  been  of 
great  advantage  to  French  merchants  in  trading  with 
that  country,  since  it  would  shorten  the  distance  their 
ships  had  to  sail,  by  many  thousands  of  miles. 

With  a  party  of  his  countrymen,  La  Salle  set  out 
from  Montreal,  by  way  of  Lake  Ontario,  to  find  the 
Mississippi.  His  followers  did  not  possess  stout  hearts 
like  his  own,  and  when  they  had  marched  a  few  days 
into  the  great  forest,  they  began  to  wish  themselves 
safely  back  in  their  settlements  again. 


There  were  many  dangers  surrounding  them.  Not 
only  was  the  wily  Indian  ever  ready  to  slay  them,  but 
the  dense  forests  abounded  in  bears,  panthers,  and 
poisonous  reptiles,  which  were  a  constant  menace  to 
their  safety. 

"  Let  us  return,"  they  implored  La  Salle,  "  or  else  we 
shall  wander  so  far  that  we  shall  be  lost  in  the  forest 
and  never  find  our  way  home  again." 

But  La  Salle  thundered  back,  "  I  will  go  on !  "  in  a 
voice  of  such  determination  that  his  followers  knew  it 
was  useless  to  try  to  dissuade  him.  They  thereupon 
held  a  consultation  among  themselves,  and  that  night 
they  one  and  all  deserted  him. 

On  waking  next  morning  La  Salle  found  only  the 
Indian  guide  with  him.  But  he  was  so  brave  and  so 
determined,  that  with  this  single  companion  he  pushed 
on  through  the  wilderness  until  he  reached  the  Ohio 
River.  He  had  gone  too  far  east  to  strike  the  Missouri 
or  the  Mississippi. 

While  he  was  trying  to  explore  the  Ohio  to  its  mouth, 
his  one  remaining  companion  deserted  him.  He  was 
now  alone  in  an  unknown  wilderness,  and,  realizing  how 
useless  and  hopeless  it  was  to  attempt  to  explore  that 
vast  country  unaided,  he  turned  about  and  wandered 
back  to  Montreal. 

La  Salle  did  not  despair.  He  went  to  France,  and 
some  years  later  secured  aid  and  authority  from  the 
king  to  explore  the  great  river  and  take  possession  of  it 
in  his  name.  From  the  course  of  the  tributaries  of  the 
stream  which  he  had  seen,  as  well  as  from  the  report  of 
Marquette,  La  Salle  became  convinced  that  the  great 


i6 

Mississippi  was  not  an  outlet  to  China,  but  flowed  into 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

On  his  return  to  Canada,  in  1678,  he  secured  men 
and  supplies,  built  a  ship  on  the  Niagara  River,  and 
sailed  up  Lake  Erie  and  Lake  Huron  to  the  foot  of 
Lake  Michigan.  Then  the  ship  was  sent  back,  and  the 
men  made  their  way  southward  to  the  head  of  the  lake 
in  canoes. 

In  December,  1679,  with  a  party  consisting  of  thirty- 
three  men,  La  Salle  embarked  in  eight  canoes  on  the 
St.  Joseph  River  in  Michigan.  They  sailed  up  the 
stream  a  number  of  miles,  then  crossed  the  snow-cov- 
ered plain  by  a  long  portage  to  the  source  of  the  Kanka- 
kee  River,  and  then  floated  down  this  till  they  reached 
the  Illinois.  Here  at  a  point  below  Peoria  Lake  they 
went  into  camp  and  built  a  fort.  The  Illinois  Indians, 
because  of  mistreatment  by  some  French  traders,  had 
become  very  hostile,  and  for  some  time  it  seemed  as  if 
the  expedition  would  be  a  failure.  But  La  Salle  made 
a  treaty  with  them,  by  which  he  promised  to  protect 
them  against  their  enemies. 

It  became  necessary  for  La  Salle  to  make  a  trip  from 
his  fort  on  the  Illinois  to  Canada  for  more  supplies,  and 
to  look  after  some  of  his  affairs,  which  were  in  a  very 
confused  state.  On  reaching  Montreal,  he  made  a  last 
effort  to  appease  his  creditors  and  borrow  money  for  his 
new  equipment.  He  succeeded;  but  soon  came  the 
news  that  the  men  left  in  the  fort  had  deserted  him. 
Undismayed,  he  once  more  gathered  a  band  of  followers 
and  set  out  for  the  Illinois  by  the  same  dreary  route 
through  lake,  river,  and  forest. 


La  Salle's  original  plan  was  to  build  a  large  vessel 
with  which  to  explore  the  Mississippi,  but  he  had  not 
obtained  sufficient  money  and  implements  to  construct 
such  a  craft,  and  the  desertion  of  his  men  put  an  end  to 
the  enterprise.  This  time,  therefore,  he  decided  to  make 
the  trip  down  the  stream  in  canoes. 

With  twenty  Frenchmen  and  twenty-eight  Indians, 
he  ascended  the  Chicago  River,  crossed  a  portage,  and 


embarked  on  the  Illinois  River,  in  these  rude  boats. 
It  was  early  in  1682,  nine  years  after  the  priest  Mar- 
quette  had  discovered  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri. 
The  weather  was  very  cold,  and  the  men  suffered 
much ;  but  with  the  determined  perseverance  so  charac- 
teristic of  La  Salle,  they  continued  their  voyage  down 
the  stream. 

At  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois,  they  entered  the  Missis- 
sippi River ;  then,  continuing  down,  they  reached  the 


STO.  OF  MO.  —  2 


i8 

mouth  of  the  Missouri.  Here  they  landed  and  rested 
for  a  short  time.  Again  white  men  were  in  what  is  now 
the  State  of  Missouri. 

La  Salle  was  earnestly  warned  by  the  Indians  not  to 
proceed  further  down  the  river,  and  was  told  that  there 
was  a  great  demon  below  that  would  destroy  him ;  but 
he  was  not  the  man  to  be  frightened  at  such  tales. 

With  his  followers,  he  explored  the  Mississippi  to  its 
very  mouth,  confirming  his  opinion  that  it  flowed  into 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  On  April  9,  1682,  La  Salle  in  a 
formal  manner  took  possession  of  the  whole  Mississippi 
valley,  in  the  name  of  the  King  of  France. 

In  honor  of  Louis  XIV.,  the  reigning  king,  the  ex- 
plorer named  the  new  territory  Louisiana.  What  is 
now  known  as  Missouri  formed  a  part  of  that  great 
country,  as  did  all  the  territory  between  the  Mississippi 
and  the  Rocky  Mountains ;  and  for  more  than  a  hundred 
years  afterwards  this  region  was  called  by  the  name 
Louisiana. 

Five  years  later,  La  Salle  met  his  death  in  the  wilder- 
ness of  Texas,  while  leading  a  small  party  through  that 
country.  He  became  involved  in  a  quarrel  with  his 
men,  and  was  shot  from  ambush  by  one  of  them,  named 
Duhaut. 


III. 

THE   SILVER   HUNTER. 

ABOUT  thirty-five  years  after  La  Salle  took  pos- 
session of  Louisiana  for  France,  the  region  was 
placed  under  the  control  of  a  company  of  traders  and 
speculators,  known  as  the  Mississippi  Company.  New 
Orleans  was  built  and  was  for  a  long  time  the  chief 
town  in  the  Mississippi  valley ;  and  gradually  trading 
posts  and  forts,  which  afterwards  became  settlements 
and  towns,  were  established  farther  up  the  river.  Two 
of  the  most  important  of  these,  Kaskaskia  and  Fort 
Chartres,  were  in  what  is  now  known  as  Illinois.  At 
that  time,  however,  this  name  was  given  to  a  much 
larger  region,  Missouri  itself  being  included  in  what 
was  called  the  Illinois  District. 

One  of  the  directors  of  the  Mississippi  Company  was 
Sieur  Renault  (sometimes  spelled  Renaud),  the  son  of 
a  celebrated  iron  founder  of  France.  Renault  was 
already  a  rich  man,  but,  being  of  an  adventurous  spirit 
and  having  heard  much  of  the  New  World,  he  deter- 
mined to  try  his  fortunes  there.  It  was  believed  by 
him,  and  by  many  others  of  his  time,  that  there  were 
rich  gold  and  silver  mines  in  Missouri.  Perhaps  this 
belief  was  founded  on  the  traditions  of  the  Indians. 

In  1719,  Renault,  with  two  hundred  miners  and 

19 


2O 

mechanics,  sailed  from  France  to  America.  He  stopped 
at  Santo  Domingo  on  his  way,  and  purchased  a  large 
number  of  slaves  for  working  the  mines.  Some  histo- 
rians say  he  bought  five  hundred. 

These  slaves  were  mostly  negroes  who  had  been 
brought  by  the  Spaniards  from  Africa  to  work  in  their 
gold  and  silver  mines  in  Santo  Domingo.  Renault  did 
not  linger  long  on  his  way,  for  next  year  ( 1 720)  he  was 
at  Fort  Chartres,  on  the  Illinois  side  of  the  Mississippi 
River,  about  ten  miles  above  the  present  site  of  Ste. 
Genevieve,  Missouri. 

The  wild  shores  on  the  Missouri  side,  with  their  high 
hills,  bluffs,  and  deep  forests,  seemed  to  his  imagination 
filled  with  hidden  treasure ;  and  from  Fort  Chartres  he 
sent  frequent  expeditions  over  into  what  is  now  Mis- 
souri to  explore  for  silver. 

Not  receiving  any  satisfactory  report  from  his  men, 
he  himself  crossed  the  river  with  a  party,  among  whom 
was  a  man  named  La  Motte,  a  relative  of  the  acting 
governor  of  the  company.  They  journeyed  far  into 
the  wilderness,  braving  many  dangers,  and  digging 
wherever  they  thought  silver  might  be  found. 

One  day,  while  Renault  was  in  advance  with  a  party 
of  slaves  and  prospectors,  they  were  attacked  by  a  large 
brown  bear,  which  charged  on  them  with  great  fury. 
Renault's  companions  fled,  but  he  himself  remained 
near  a  tree,  and  when  the  ferocious  beast  was  quite 
close,  leveled  his  gun  and  shot  it  in  the  brain. 

Hearing  the  report  of  the  gun,  the  men  came  back 
and  found  the  silver  hunter  standing  over  the  dead 
bear. 


21 

"You  have  done  a  great  thing,"  said  one  of  the 
miners;  "you  have  slain  a  monster  bear." 

"Yes,"  replied  Renault,  "but  had  I  depended  on 
you,  it  might  have  slain  me." 

Though  the  followers  of  Renault  were  ashamed  of 
their  conduct,  they  had  such  dread  of  the  forest,  that 
they  could  hardly  be  persuaded  to  venture  further. 
But  they  were  -soon  joined  by  La  Motte,  who  with  a 
few  miners  and  slaves  had  been  separated  from  the 
rest  for  several  days ;  and  the  whole  party  then  con- 
tinued their  explorations  together. 

They  prosecuted  their  search  for  silver  with  great 
diligence.  Nearly  all  of  what  is  now  Ste.  Genevieve 
County  was  explored  by  them.  Shafts  were  sunk  and 
mines  opened.  Lead  was  found  in  abundance,  but 
practically  no  silver.  Many  of  Renault's  old  mines, 
overgrown  with  trees  and  covered  with  moss,  have  been 
rediscovered  by  more  recent  explorers. 

One,  the  "  Mine  La  Motte,".  is  still  operated,  and  is 
still  known  by  the  name  its  discoverers  gave  it.  It  is 
beyond  question  the  oldest  mine  in  Missouri. 

One  day  some  of  Renault's  miners,  who  had  been 
on  a  prospecting  tour,  told  him  of  a  wonderful  cavern 
they  had  found.  The  silver  hunter  set  out  with  them 
to  see  it.  Reaching  a  rocky  ledge,  the  prospectors  led 
him  into  the  entrance  of  an  immense  cave. 

They  had  with  them  some  pine  knots  for  torches  ; 
and,  lighting  these,  they  proceeded  to  explore  the  won- 
derful place.  They  first  came  to  a  vast  underground 
chamber.  A  succession  of  passages  led  from  this,  and 
in  them  were  millions  of  pounds  of  lead  ore  adhering 


22 

to  the  sides,  roof,  and  bottom.  Not  only  did  the  men 
discover  lead,  but  zinc  and  iron  ores  also,  although  these 
were  not  present  in  so  large  quantities  as  the  lead. 

This  cavern  is  to-day  known  as  the  "Valle  Mines," 
and  is  among  the  richest  lead-producing  mines  in  Mis- 
souri. It  was  named  for  one  of  the  early  settlers  in 
Ste.  Genevieve,  of  whom  we  shall  hear  later.  Renault 
and  his  companions  did  not  attempt  to  work  it,  as  they 
had  other  mines  more  convenient  to  Fort  Chartres. 

Failing  to  find  silver  in  paying  quantities,  Renault 
became  disheartened.  One  evening,  as  he  sat  by  the 
camp  fire,  lamenting  his  failure,  a  companion  asked,  — 

"  Why  don't  you  dig  for  lead  ?  You  would  get  more 
silver  for  it  than  you  will  ever  find  in  these  rocks  and 
hills." 

The  idea  struck  the  silver  hunter  very  favorably,  and 
he  determined  at  once  to  act  upon  it.  Next  day  he 
proceeded  to  open  up  two  mines,  and  set  his  slaves  to 
taking  out  lead  ore ;  and  he  also  constructed  rude  fur- 
naces for  smelting  it.  Before  long  a  number  of  other 
mines  were  opened  and  worked  quite  extensively ;  but 
just  how  many  were  operated  by  Sieur  Renault  and  his 
miners  is  not  positively  known. 

After  the  lead  had  been  smelted  and  separated  from 
the  dross,  it  was  carried  away  on  pack  horses.  The 
pack  saddle  in  that  day  was  a  very  rude  affair.  It  was 
built  on  a  forked  stick,  placed  so  that  one  fork  came 
down  on  each  side  of  the  horse.  Suspended  from  this 
were  large  pockets  of  leather,  which  would  hold  as 
much  as  the  apimal  could  carry. 

When  the  pack  horses  were  loaded,  a  whole  caravan 


of  them  was  sent  in  charge  of  a  man  or  boy  along  the 
narrow  path  through  the  forest  to  the  river  opposite 
Fort  Chartres.  The  lead  was  then  taken  across  the 


fv 


river 
in  boats, 
while  driv- 
er and  pack 
horses  returned  to  the 
mines  and  furnaces  for 
more. 

From   Fort  Chartres  the 
lead  was  sent  down  the  Mis- 
sissippi to  New  Orleans,  and  afterwards  was  conveyed 
to  France.     Just  how  much  lead  was  produced  in   Mis- 
souri in  those  early  days  is  not  known      Some  writers 
say   the  amount  was    small,   some  that  it  was  consid- 
erable. 

Renault  failed  to  find  silver,  but  he  will  ever  be  re- 
membered as  the  first  man  who  carried  on  a  productive 
enterprise  in  Missouri.  He  opened  mines  for  an  ore  of 
greater  value  to  mankind  than  silver. 


IV. 

THE   FIRST   SETTLERS. 

ABOUT  the  year  1730,  there  lived  at  Fort  Chartres,  in 
Illinois,  two  Frenchmen,  named  Francis  and  Jean 
Baptiste  Valle.  These  men  were  brothers,  and  were 
noted  for  their  honesty,  kindness,  and  bravery.  While 
members  of  the  Mississippi  Company  and  others  from 
New  Orleans  and  France  were  searching  the  rocks  and 
hills  of  Missouri  for  gold  and  silver,  these  brothers  and 
some  friends  were  traveling  through  that  country,  trad- 
ing with  the  Indians. 

They  gave  the  Indians  blankets,  hatchets,  beads,  trin- 
kets, and  other  things  valued  by  the  savages,  and  re- 
ceived in  exchange  various  kinds  of  furs.  When  they 
traveled  on  water,  they  loaded  their  boats  with  such 
merchandise  as  was  suitable  for  their  trade,  and  pad- 
dled along  the  streams.  Sometimes  they  would  be  sev- 
eral days  going  from  one  Indian  village  to  another. 
When  they  arrived  at  one,  either  Francis  or  his  brother 
stood  up  in  the  boat,  holding  in  one  hand  a  calumet, 
and  in  the  other  some  article  of  traffic.  These  meant 
peace  and  a  desire  to  trade.  Then  they  would  land, 
and  transact  their  business  by  means  of  an  interpreter 
whom  they  had  with  them. 

But  they  did  not  always  travel  by  water.  Sometimes 

24 


25 

they  loaded  their  goods  on  pack  horses,  and  went  sev- 
eral days'  journey  into  the  forests  of  Missouri,  visiting 
far-off  tribes.  When  a  large  number  of  valuable  furs 
had  been  collected,  they  were  sent  down  the  river  to 
New  Orleans,  and  from  there  taken  in  ships  to  France. 

These  early  traders  were  very  much  pleased  with  the 
country  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  and  began  to  think 
seriously  of  crossing  over  and  establishing  a  trading  post 
there.  The  soil  was  fertile,  and  the  Indians  were  peace- 
able. A  trading  post  in  Missouri,  they  reasoned,  would 
be  much  more  convenient  than  Fort  Chartres. 

Accordingly,  about  the  year  1735,  the  Valle  brothers 
and  several  of  their  friends  crossed  the  river  with  their 
families,  and  established  a  post,  which  in  time  grew  into 
the  town  of  Ste.  Genevieve.  Its  site,  however,  was  three 
miles  distant  from  the  present  town  of  the  same  name. 
The  post  consisted  chiefly  of  one  large  blockhouse,  in 
which  the  commandant  lived,  and  which  served  as  the 
common  storehouse ;  but  there  were  a  few  smaller 
houses  as  well.  The  blockhouse  was  intended  also  to 
be  a  refuge  for  all  the  people  in  case  of  an  attack  by 
Indians ;  and  it  was  provided  with  portholes  from 
which  to  fire  upon  the  assailants. 

These  were  the  first  settlers  in  Missouri.  Their 
names,  so  far  as  known,  were  as  follows :  Francis  Valle, 
commandant  of  the  post;  Jean  Baptiste  Valle,  his 
brother;  Joseph  Loiselle,  Jean  Baptiste  Maurice,  Fran- 
cis Coleman,  Jacques  Boyer,  Henri  Maurice,  Parfant 
Dufour,  Louis  Boidue,  B.  N.  James,  and  J.  B.  T.  Pratt. 

They  were  men  of  simple  habits  and  strong  constitu- 
tions, as  honest  as  they  were  hospitable ;  and  they 


26 

cheerfully  adapted  themselves  to  their  circumstances. 
Rich  and  handsome  clothing  was  unknown  to  them. 
The  men  wore  homespun  trousers,  blue  woolen  shirts, 
moccasins,  and  a  coon-skin  cap  in  summer ;  to  this  in 
winter  they  added  buckskin  leggings  and  a  hunting 
shirt  made  of  the  skin  of  some  wild  animal. 

The  clothing  of  the  women  was  equally  simple.  A 
dress  of  calico,  a  Spanish  mantilla  thrown  over  the 
shoulders,  and  a  handkerchief  tied  carelessly  about  the 
neck  —  this  was  the  usual  attire  of  a  Missouri  lady  of 
that  day.  _  There  was  no  effort  at  display.  Their 
homes  were  rude  log  huts,  with  chimneys  made  of 
sticks  and  mud,  though  some  of  the  better  houses  had 
chimneys  of  stone.  Few  houses  had  more  than  one 
room,  with  one  door  and  one  window. 

Contentment  and  prosperity  blessed  these  first  set- 
tlers. The  hardships  and  privations  which  they  suf- 
fered in  common  served  but  to  bind  them  more  closely 
together.  Disputes  and  lawsuits  were  almost  unknown, 
and  for  many  years  this  little  settlement  formed,  as  it 
were,  one  family.  On  the  death  of  Francis  Valle,  the 
first  commandant,  his  brother  Jean  Baptiste  was  selected 
for  that  important  post.  The  commandant  was  the  ruler 
of  the  little  colony.  He  was  the  judge  and  governor  in 
peace,  and  the  leader  in  time  of  war.  Jean  Baptiste 
Valle  was  regarded  with  all  the  respect  of  a  king,  yet 
his  rule  was  more  like  a  father's  than  a  sovereign's. 

The  men  of  the  settlement  were  usually  occupied  in 
hunting  deer  and  elk,  trapping  beaver,  mink,  and  otter, 
and  trading  with  the  Indians.  The  rifle  furnished  much 
of  their  clothing  and  most  of  the  food  for  the  family ; 


27 

for  wild  game  of  all  kinds  was  found  in  abundance. 
Half  a  dozen  hides  could  nearly  always  have  been  seen 
tacked  up  on  the  outside  of  the  house  to  dry.  But 
hunting,  trapping,  and  trading  were  not  the  only  indus- 
tries of  these  first  settlers.  They  early  discovered  that 
the  soil  was  productive,  and  began  to  plant  corn  and  to 
sow  wheat.  At  first  they  produced  only  enough  to  sup- 
ply their  own  wants,  but  this  was  the  beginning  of  the 
great  agricultural  industry  in  Missouri. 

Their  farming  implements  were  of  the  simplest  kind, 
and  were  mostly  of  home  make.  Their  plow,  for  in- 
stance, was  made  from  a  forked  tree,  cut  off  near  the 
point  of  branching.  One  fork  was  left  long  enough  to 
serve  as  a  pole  to  which  to  attach  a  yoke  of  oxen,  while 
the  other  fork  was  cut  off  about  two  feet  from  the  trunk, 
and  sharpened  to  pierce  the  earth.  A  pair  of  rude  han- 
dles were  then  fastened  to  the  topx  and  the  plow  was 
complete. 

The  products  of  the  chase,  mines,  trapping,  and  trad- 
ing were  sent  down  the  river  to  New  Orleans  in  barges 
or  flat-boats  constructed  by  the  settlers,  who  brought 
back  in  return  articles  needful  for  their  own  comfort 
and  for  traffic  with  the  Indians. 

The  voyages  down  the  river  were  long  and  tedious, 
and  were  attended  with  great  danger.  When  fathers, 
brothers,  and  friends  departed  on  these  journeys,  it  was 
months  before  they  returned.  Hostile  Indians  often 
attacked  them,  and  the  treacherous  stream  was  filled 
with  hidden  snags  and  sand  bars,  which  sometimes 
destroyed  their  boats.  But  the  bold  pioneers  of  Ste. 
Genevieve  braved  all  these  dangers.  On  reaching 


28 


New  Orleans  they  laid  their  boats  along  the  levees, 
sought  out  the  French  ships  which  were  in  the  harbor, 
and  exchanged  their  peltries  and  lead  for  such  articles 
as  they  needed. 

After  the  settlers  had  finished  their  trading,  the 
hardest  task  of  all  yet  lay  before  them.  Going  down 
the  stream  they  usually  floated  with  the 
current,  aided  by  sweeps  or  large 
,  oars ;  but  the  return  trip 
was  difficult.  A  mast  was 
sometimes  rigged  on  each 
boat,  and  if  the  wind 
was  favorable  they 
spread  their  sails  and 
glided  on  their  way 
towards  home.  Often, 
however,  the  wind  was 
contrary  or  the  river  was 
crooked,  so  that  they  could 
not  use  a  sail  to  any  ad- 
vantage. Then  they  were 
compelled  to  cordelle  the  boat 
up  the  stream.  The  boatmen 
walked  along  the  shore,  and  by  aid 
of  a  long  rope  pulled  the  boat  after 
One  or  two  were  left  on  board  to  steer, 
and  keep  the  prow  from  running  into  the  bank.  In 
this  way  many  a  weary  day  was  passed  before  they 
came  to  the  end  of  their  journey. 

But  the  life  of  the  first  French  settlers  in  Missouri 
was  not  all  toil  and  hardship.     They  had  various  kinds 


them. 


29 

of  amusements  and  merrymakings,  among  which  the 
"  king's  ball "  held  an  important  place.  It  occurred 
once  a  year  and  was  looked  forward  to  with  eagerness 
by  both  young  and  old.  Every  inhabitant  of  the  vil- 
lage was  in  attendance.  One  feature  of  this  ball  was 
the  cutting  and  eating  of  a  large  cake  in  which  had 
been  placed  four  beans.  Each  person  getting  a  bean 
in  his  slice  was  to  be  one  of  the  "kings  "  or  leaders  of 
the  next  ball. 

Another  gathering  was  known  as  the  "guinolee." 
This  was  a  masked  ball  which  afforded  much  amuse- 
ment. Among  the  men,  old-fashioned  "  shooting 
matches  "  were  a  favorite  sport.  These  brought  about 
a  perfection  in  marksmanship  that  has  never  been  ex- 
celled, and  that  was  of  great  advantage  to  them  in 
their  forest  life. 

History  leaves  but  a  brief  record  of  these  first  set- 
tlers. For  over  half  a  century  little  is  known  of  them. 
In  1785,  however,  a  flood  in  the  Mississippi  destroyed 
the  old  town  of  Ste.  Genevieve,  and  the  settlers  then 
moved  their  homes  to  the  present  site. 

Mingled  with  the  early  history  of  Ste.  Genevieve  are 
a  number  of  legends,  among  which  is  the  story  of  an 
Indian  maiden  whose  name  is  not  known.  Several 
years  after  the  settlement  had  been  established,  there 
came  to  the  village  a  young  French  trader  named 
Francis  Maisonville.  While  trading  with  some  Indians, 
he  met  this  Indian  maiden  and  loved  her.  His  love  was 
returned,  and  they  were  married  by  a  priest.  For  some 
reason  the  dusky  friends  of  the  bride  opposed  this 
union,  and  one  day,  while  the  husband  was  absent,  her 


30 

brother,  with  some  of  his  companions,  seized  her  and 
carried  her  away  into  the  wilderness. 

When  the  husband  returned  and  found  his  wife  gone, 
he  summoned  some  white  friends  and  set  out  to  over- 
take the  Indians  and  bring  her  back.  But  the  cunning 
savages  waded  long  distances  in  streams,  walked  back- 
wards, and  used  many  other  devices  to  conceal  their 
trail  and  confuse  their  pursuers  as  to  the  course  they 
had  taken.  After  days  of  fruitless  search,  the  white 
men  gave  up  the  chase  in  despair,  and  returned  to 
Ste.  Genevieve. 

Meanwhile,  the  bride  had  been  taken  to  an  Indian 
village  about  six  days'  journey  from  Ste.  Genevieve. 
Here  she  was  kept  in  an  Indian  wigwam,  guarded  by 
two  aged  squaws.  One  night  the  old  women,  worn  out 
with  watching,  fell  asleep.  A  gentle  rain  was  falling, 
as  the  prisoner  knew  by  the  patter  on  the  wigwam. 

Ever  watchful  for  an  opportunity  to  escape,  she 
crawled  stealthily  to  the  door.  She  moved  as  noise- 
lessly as  possible,  for  all  depended  upon  her  not  arous- 
ing the  sleeping  women.  Her  hands  and  feet  were 
tied  with  strips  of  deerskin.  Holding  her  wrists  out 
under  the  drip  from  the  wigwam,  she  soon  wet  the 
thongs,  which  were  then  easily  stretched  so  that  she 
slipped  her  hands  out. 

Then  she  untied  her  feet,  and,  after  giving  the  sleep- 
ing women  a  careful  glance,  ran  out  into  the  darkness 
and  rain.  She  had  been  gone  but  a  few  minutes  when 
her  guards  awoke  and  gave  the  alarm.  The  brother 
hastily  summoned  his  fleetest  warriors  and  started  in 
pursuit. 


For  many  days  the  young  bride  fled  through  the  for- 
est, subsisting  on  wild  berries  and  fruits.  Sometimes 
her  brother  and  his  friends  were  so  near  that  she  could 
hear  them.  One  night  she  crawled  into  a  hollow  log  to 
rest.  She  had  been  there  but  a  few  minutes  when  she 
heard  the  voices  of  her  brother  and  his  warriors  close 
at  hand.  They  built  a  camp  fire  near  by,  and  her 
brother  sat  on  the  very  log  in  which  she  was  hiding, 
while  he  and  his  warriors  toasted  their  venison ;  but  so 
quiet  did  she  remain  that  they  suspected  nothing,  and 
at  early  dawn  they  departed.  When  they  were  gone 
she  crept  from  her  hiding  place,  and  resumed  her 
journey. 

At  last  she  reached  her  home.  The  husband,  almost 
broken-hearted,  was  in  the  cabin  when  she  entered. 
He  was  overjoyed  to  see  her,  and  for  fear  that  her 
relatives  might  steal  her  away  again,  he  took  her  to 
live  in  the  blockhouse,  or  fort.  Her  brother  and  rela- 
tives after  a  time  became  reconciled  to  the  marriage, 
and  were  ever  after  the  steadfast  friends  of  young 
Maisonville. 

The  Peoria  Indians,  who  lived  in  the  country  around 
Ste.  Genevieve,  were  more  industrious  than  most  of  the 
aborigines.  They  were  strong  and  straight,  and  fine 
specimens  of  manhood.  The  women  were  beautiful, 
and  swift  on  foot.  The  honesty  and  fairness  with 
which  the  first  settlers  treated  the  Indians,  prevented 
misunderstanding  and  war.  Justice  was  practiced  by 
both  races,  and  the  colonists  long  lived  by  the  side  of 
the  Indians  in  peace. 


V. 

PIERRE    LACLEDE,  AND    THE    HUNTER. 

IN  November,  1762,  France  ceded  all  the  vast  country 
then  known  as  Louisiana  to  Spain.  For  political 
reasons,  this  transaction  was  kept  a  profound  secret, 
and  the  inhabitants  of  Upper  Louisiana  did  not  know 
of  it  for  several  years.  The  King  of  France  and  his 
officers  continued  to  govern  the  country  as  before.  In 
February,  1763,  the  king  ceded  to  Great  Britain  all  his 
territory  east  of  the  Mississippi,  except  New  Orleans, 
in  spite  of  the  fact  that  he  had  previously  given  a  por- 
tion of  the  same  country  to  Spain.  This  treaty  was 
at  once  made  public,  and  the  people  of  Louisiana  soon 
heard  all  about  it. 

Fort  Chartres,  in  Illinois,  had  up  to  this  time  been 
the  seat  of  government  and  the  center  of  trade  for 
Upper  Louisiana,  or,  as  it  was  sometimes  called,  the 
Illinois  District.  According  to  the  treaty,  this  town 
was  to  be  surrendered  to  the  British,  and  so  a  new 
location  for  government  and  trade  had  to  be  selected 
for  the  territory  west  of  the  Mississippi  River. 

The  colonial  treasury  was  empty,  and  the  govern- 
ment was  unable  to  build  a  post  in  the  wilderness. 
Therefore  it  was  decided  to  give  some  private  company 
the  exclusive  right  to  trade  with  the  Indians,  on  condi- 

32 


33 

tion  that  it  should  select  a  site  and  build  the  post.  This 
monopoly  of  the  fur  trade  was  to  extend  throughout 
the  north  and  northwest  of  the  territory.  The  firm 
of  Maxent,  Laclede  &  Company  received  the  grant. 
They  fitted  out  an  expedition  which  left  New  Orleans 
August  3,  1763,  and  wintered  at  Fort  Chartres. 

The  leader  of  this  expedition  was  the  junior  member 
of  the  firm,  and  is  known  in  history  as  Pierre  Laclede, 
though  his  full  name  was  Pierre  Laclede  Ligueste.  He 
was  a  Frenchman,  born  in  Bion,  near  the  base  of  the 
Pyrenees  Mountains.  Trained  as  a  merchant,  he  seems 
to  have  been  possessed  of  intelligence  and  foresight,  as 
was  shown  in  his  selection  of  the  site  for  the  post. 

During  the  winter  of  1763-4,  while  his  men  were 
quartered  at  Fort  Chartres,  Laclede  explored  the  west 
shore  of  the  Mississippi  below  the  mouth  of  the  Mis- 
souri. He  finally  chose  as  the  place  for  his  post  the 
spot  where  the  city  of  St.  Louis  now  stands.  In  Feb- 
ruary, 1764,  he  sent  Auguste  Chouteau  and  a  band  of 
workmen  to  make  a  clearing  and  to  begin  building  log 
cabins  at  this  place.  A  number  of  French  families 
crossed  over  from  Fort  Chartres,  and  soon  a  flourish- 
ing settlement  was  established. 

Laclede  called  his  new  town  St.  Louis,  in  honor  of 
the  King  of  France ;  for  it  was  not  yet  known  even  to 
the  leaders  that  this  territory  had  passed  under  Spanish 
control.  He  laid  it  out  in  regular  blocks  and  streets, 
some  of  which  still  bear  the  names  he  gave  them.  His 
store  was  on  Main  Street,  in  front  of  the  place  where 
the  Merchants'  Exchange  now  stands. 

The  firm  of  Maxent,  Laclede  &  Company,  sometimes 

STO.  OF  MO.  —  3 


34 

known  as  the  "  Louisiana  Fur  Company,"  soon  did  a 
thriving  business.  Almost  every  day  the  streets  of  the 
little  town  were  filled  with  Indians,  bringing  furs  to 
trade  for  such  articles  as  they  wanted.  A  look  into  the 
company's  store  would  astonish  one  accustomed  to 
modern  shops.  One  would  see  rifles,  powder,  bullets, 


hatchets,  knives,  blankets,  gay-colored  handkerchiefs, 
and  every  trinket  calculated  to  please  the  savage  fancy. 
In  the  year  1765  Fort  Chartres  was  surrendered  by 
the  French  to  the  British.  Captain  Sterling  was  the 
English  officer  who  took  possession  of  the  post.  St. 
Ange  de  Belle  Rive,  the  French  commander  of  Fort 
Chartres  upon  its  surrender,  removed  with  his  officers 


35 

and  troops  to  St.  Louis  on  July  17,  1765.  From  that 
time  the  new  settlement  was  considered  the  capital  of 
Upper  Louisiana.  Immediately  upon  his  arrival,  St. 
Ange  assumed  control,  though  it  is  doubtful  if  he  had 
any  legal  authority  to  do  so. 

St.  Louis,  Ste.  Genevieve,  and  a  small  settlement  at 
New  Madrid  were  the  only  white  settlements  at  this 
time  in  what  is  now  Missouri ;  but  others  -soon  sprang 
up  on  the  fertile  banks  of  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri 
rivers.  The  mildness  of  the  government,  and  the  liber- 
ality with  which  land  grants  were  made,  in  addition 
to  the  advantages  which  the  trade  of  the  country 
offered,  attracted  immigration  from  Canada  and  Lower 
Louisiana. 

Vide  Poche,  afterwards  called  Carondelet,  in  honor 
of  the  Baron  de  Carondelet,  was  founded  by  Delor  de 
Tregette  in  1767.  In  1776,  Florisant  settlement,  after- 
wards called  St.  Ferdinand,  in  honor  of  the  King  of 
Spain,  was  founded  by  Beaurosier  Dunegant.  The  vil- 
lage which  sprang  up  about  the  settlement  was  subse- 
quently named  Florisant,  while  the  township  in  which 
it  is  situated  is  known  as  St.  Ferdinand.  These  settle- 
ments are  all  in  St.  Louis  County,  and  Carondelet  is 
to-day  a  suburb  of  the  city  of  St.  Louis. 

The  rich  alluvial  soil  of  the  valley  yielded  an  abun- 
dance to  the  settlers.  The  Indian  fur  trade  became 
extensive,  and  St.  Louis  rapidly  grew  into  prominence, 
not  only  among  the  French  and  Spanish,  but  also 
among  the  English,  who  were  now  gradually  coming 
across  the  Alleghanies  into  the  Ohio  valley. 

Among  the  earliest  French  settlers  in  St.  Louis  was 


36 

a  man  named  Blanchette,  a  friend  of  Laclede  and 
Chouteau.  He  loved  the  forest,  and  preferred  hunting 
to  cultivating  the  soil  or  trading  with  the  Indians ;  so 
he  came  to  be  called  "  Blanchette  Chasseur,"  or  Blan- 
chette the  Hunter.  He  would  spend  days  alone  in  the 
forest  with  his  gun  and  dogs.  On  account  of  rattle- 
snakes and  copperheads,  which  were  abundant,  he  often 
climbed  into  the  branches  of  a  tree  to  sleep. 

Once,  having  chased  a  wounded  deer  until  darkness 
came  upon  him,  he  looked  about  for  a  tree  in  which  to 
pass  the  night.  A  large  oak  with  thick  clusters  of 
branches  and  dense  foliage  seemed  to  invite  him  to 
repose  in  its  bushy  top.  He  climbed  to  the  first  fork 
and  took  the  most  comfortable  position  he  could  find. 
Hanging  his  rifle  by  a  leather  strap  on  a  small  branch 
at  his  side,  he  prepared  to  sleep. 

His  faithful  dogs,  which  had  been  following  the  deer, 
returned  to  their  master  shortly  after  he  was  in  his 
strange  bed,  and  set  up  a  tremendous  howling.  He  spoke 
to  them  and  ordered  them  away,  but  all  to  no  purpose. 
They  remained  beneath  the  tree,  barking  furiously. 

"  Something  is  wrong,"  thought  the  hunter,  "or  those 
dogs  would  not  act  in  this  way." 

He  crept  down  from  the  tree,  and  with  his  flint  and 
steel  kindled  a  fire.  As  the  light  ascended  into  the 
branches,  he  saw  a  pair  of  fiery  eyes  not  ten  feet  from 
where  he  had  been  resting.  The  hunter  raised  his  rifle, 
took  aim,  and  fired.  An  enormous  panther  fell,  mor- 
tally wounded.  The  dogs  leaped  on  it,  and  though  it 
was  dying,  it  succeeded  in  killing  one  of  them. 

Blanchette  was  not  only  a  great  marksman,  but  a 


37 

great  horseman  as  well,  and  many  stories  are  told  of 
his  skill  with  horse  and  rifle.  He  was  once  hunting 
with  an  Indian  friend  when  they  started  up  a  fine  fat 
buck.  The  Indian  fired  and  missed. 

"  Never  mind  ;  I  will  get  it  for  you,"  said  Blanchette  ; 
and  he  galloped  away  after  the  deer,  which  was  running 
toward  the  river.  When  the  animal  reached  the  water's 
edge  it  turned  ^^  north,  whereupon  the  hunter  cut 


v 


across  through  the  wood  to  head  it  off.  He  came  out 
within  a  hundred  paces  of  it,  and  horse  and  deer  sped 
along  neck  and  neck.  Blanchette  dropped  the  rein,  and, 
raising  his  rifle,  brought  down  the  deer  at  the  first  shot 
without  slackening  his  speed.  He  gave  it  to  his  Indian 
friend,  and  an  hour  later  had  shot  one  for  himself. 

In  1 768,  attracted  by  the  abundant  game  north  of  the 
Missouri  River,  he  crossed  that  stream  and  built  a  log 
cabin.  The  advantages  for  hunting  and  trapping  here 


38 

were  so  much  superior  to  those  south  of  the  river,  that 
he  induced  some  friends  to  join  him.  In  1769,  he 
established  the  post  of  Les  Petites  Cotes.  A  fort  was 
built  here,  and  a  settlement  sprang  up  around  it,  —  the 
first  in  the  present  State  north  of  the  Missouri.  The 
name  was  afterwards  changed  from  Les  Petites  Cotes 
to  St.  Charles,  which  is  the  name  it  bears  to-day. 

Thus  the  cities  of  St.  Louis  and  St.  Charles  were 
founded.  Laclede,  the  founder  of  St.  Louis,  died  of  a 
fever  in  June,  1778,  while  on  his  way  home  from  New 
Orleans  with  a  fleet  of  "keel  boats."  After  his  death, 
Colonel  Auguste  Chouteau  became  the  owner  of  his 
residence.  It  was  enlarged  and  beautified,  and  for  many 
years  was  the  finest  house  in  St.  Louis. 

The  fate  of  Blanchette  the  Hunter  is  not  positively 
known.  Some  think  he  was  killed  by  the  Indians, 
while  others  say  that  he  died  of  sickness  in  St.  Charles, 
the  town  which  he  had  founded. 


VI. 

FRENCH    MISSOURIANS. 

WHEN  Great  Britain  took  possession  of  the  country 
east  of  the  Mississippi,  many  of  the  French  fami- 
lies living  in  Illinois  moved  to  Missouri.  By  doing  so, 
they  supposed  that  they  were  still  French  subjects,  for 
they  had  not  yet  heard  of  the  treaty  by  which  Spain 
acquired  all  of  Louisiana  west  of  the  great  river. 

Although  they  were  too  far  removed  from  any  nation 
to  be  much  influenced  by  political  changes,  they  all 
preferred  the  French  rule  to  any  other. 

In  their  manner  of  settling  the  French  differed  from 
all  the  other  European  colonists  in  America.  They 
preferred  to  gather  in  compact  little  villages,  instead 
of  making  their  homes  on  separate  and  often  distant 
farms,  as  was  the  custom  of  the  English.  The  French 
towns  were  usually  to  be  found  on  the  margin  of  a 
prairie  or  the  banks  of  some  river.  The  streets  were 
long  and  narrow,  with  the  dwellings  so  close  together 
that  the  sociable  villagers  could  converse  with  their 
neighbors  from  their  windows  and  doorways. 

Such  were  the  early  villages  of  St.  Louis,  Ste.  Gene- 
vieve,  and  St.  Charles,  which  for  some  time  were  the 
largest  settlements  in  Upper  Louisiana.  They  were 
small  patriarchal  hamlets,  each  like  one  great  family 

39 


40 

clustered  about  a  parental  home.  The  houses  were 
simple  and  much  alike,  being  usually  one  story  high, 
and  surrounded  by  sheds  or  galleries.  The  walls  were 
constructed  of  rude  framework,  with  upright  corner 
posts  and  studding,  connected  horizontally  by  means  of 
numerous  cross  ties,  not  unlike  the  rounds  of  a  ladder. 
These  held  the  "  cat  and  clay  "  (hair  or  grass  and  mud) 
with  which  the  intervening  spaces  were  filled,  and  which 
formed  a  sort  of  plastering  for  the  inside  surface.  Each 
homestead  was  in  a  separate  lot,  inclosed  by  a  rude 
picket  fence. 

Nearly  every  village  had  a  common  field  consisting  of 
hundreds,  and  often  thousands,  of  acres  of  uninclosed 
land.  This  was  free  to  all  for  use  as  a  common  pasture 
and  for  obtaining  fuel  and  timber.  In  addition  to  this, 
each  settler  had  his  own  field  for  agriculture. 

The  French  pioneers  in  Missouri  were  generally  a 
merry  people.  One  writer  says  of  them,  —  "  Care  was 
a  stranger  in  those  early  days.  Amusements,  festivals, 
and  holidays  made  the  people  happy  and  content, 
though  in  the  wilderness  and  secluded  from  the  great 
civilized  world.  While  the  young  and  the  gay  danced, 
the  aged  patriarch  and  his  companion  looked  on  and 
smiled.  Even  the  priest  sanctioned  and  blessed  the 
innocent  amusement  and  recreation." 

Feasting,  dancing,  and  other  amusements  were  not 
confined  to  either  sex  nor  to  any  class.  In  the  dance, 
all  participated,  the  bond  and  the  free  alike.  Even  the 
red  men  and  women  from  the  forest  often  came  to  share 
in  the  revelry. 

The  Indians  regarded  the  settlers  as  their  friends, 


41 

and  trusted  them  fully.  The  French  policy  towards 
them  was  so  fair  that  Missouri  did  not  surfer  from  the 
desolating  Indian  wars  which  so  frequently  ravaged  the 
English  colonies.  In  the  treatment  of  slaves,  also,  the 
French  were  so  gentle  and  kind  that  a  writer  of  the  time 
says,  "  The  world  has  never  seen  a  more  contented  and 
happy  people  than  the  negro  slaves  of  the  early  French 
of  Upper  Louisiana." 

Statute  books,  lawyers,  courts,  and  prisons  were  un- 
heard of  among  these  first  settlers.  Every  man  ren- 
dered unto  every  other  his  just  due ;  consequently 
there  was  no  need  of  them.  Hospitality  was  a  duty, 
and  taverns  were  unknown ;  for  every  man's  door  was 
open  to  the  traveler  and  stranger.  This  social  charac- 
teristic is  well  illustrated  by  the  story  of  an  English- 
man who  came  down  the  river  in  his  boat,  and  landed  at 
St.  Louis.  He  approached  a  house  in  front  of  which 
a  number  of  people  were  gathered,  and  asked,  — 

"  Is  this  a  tavern  ?  " 

"  No,"  was  the  answer. 

The  perplexed  traveler  pointed  to  another  house  and 
asked,  — 

"  Is  that  a  tavern  ?  " 

"No." 

"  Will  you  show  me  one  ?  "  he  asked. 

The  Englishman  was  astonished  when  his  informer 
said,  — 

"  We  have  none." 

"  No  tavern  !  "  he  cried.  "  Then  where  am  I  to  sleep 
to-night,  —  in  my  open  boat,  or  under  a  tree  ?  " 

The  Frenchman  answered,  — 


"  There  are  many  houses  here ;  why  not  sleep  in  one 
of  them  ? " 

The  traveler  then  saw  that  the  villagers  were  offering 
him  the  hospitality  of  their  homes.  He  was  entertained 
that  night  by  Colonel  Chouteau.  A  long  war  between 
France  and  Great  Britain  had  just  ended,  and  the 
French  in  Missouri,  though  removed  from  the  scenes 
of  hostility,  had  been  loyal  to  the  cause  of  their  mother 
country,  and  bitterly  disliked  the  English.  Neverthe- 
less, Colonel  Chouteau  looked  after  the  comfort  of  his 
guest,  and  no  unpleasant  allusions  were  made  to  the 
recent  war.  The  Englishman  and  Colonel  Chouteau 
were  ever  after  fast  friends. 

The  young  men  among  these  early  settlers  were 
hunters,  trappers,  and  traders,  who  rivaled  each  other 
in  their  long  journeys  on  the  streams  or  in  the  path- 


less wilder- 
gone  from 
trating  the 


V 


ness.     Sometimes  they  were 
their  homes  for  months,  pene- 
most    central   parts    of    Mis- 
souri.       When    they 
returned    from    their 
long   journeys,    laden 
with  furs,  they  were 
greeted   with  smiling 
faces  and  the  warm- 
est welcome.    They 
often  had  interesting 
stories  to  tell  of  their 
wanderings  in  the  forest. 
Once  two  young  men  crossed  the  Mis- 
souri and  wandered  far  into  the  wilderness. 


43 

When  they  came  back  they  told  of  springs  of  water 
issuing  from  the  ground,  so  salty  that  one  could  not 
drink  from  them.  They  were  a  great  resort  for  deer, 
buffalo,  and  elk.  This  place  was  probably  what  was 
afterwards  known  as  Boones  Lick,  which  was  at  one 
time  famous  for  its  salt  works. 

Often  the  return  of  the  voyageurs,  as  these  young 
hunters  and  traders  were  called,'  was  celebrated  by  balls 
and  festivities. 

"  My  son  has  returned  from  a  great  journey  in  the 
forest,"  the  father  would  say.  "  Let  us  give  him  a 
feast  and  a  ball,  and  be  happy  that  he  is  with  us 
again." 

Mechanics  by  profession  were  almost  unknown  in 
the  settlements  of  Missouri.  The  great  business  of  all 
was  trading  with  Indians,  caring  for  flocks  and  herds, 
and  cultivating  enough  land  to  supply  themselves  with 
food.  Every  man  was  his  own  carpenter,  shoemaker, 
saddler,  and  mason.  If  he  wanted  a  house,  he  built  it. 
It  was  a  rude  affair  when  finished,  but  it  made  a  com- 
fortable home.  The  life  of  these  pioneers  reminds  one 
of  Robinson  Crusoe,  who,  like  them,  had  to  build  his 
own  house  and  to  make  his  own  boat  and  clothes. 

There  were  no  public  schools  for  many  years.  The 
priests  at  the  forts  and  trading  stations  sometimes 
taught  the  children,  Indian  and  white  alike,  to  read  and 
write,  and  gave  them  a  little  knowledge  of  mathematics. 
These  mission  schools  were  the  exception,  however, 
rather  than  the  rule,  and  many  grew  to  be  women 
and  men  incapable  of  reading  or  writing  even  their 
own  names. 


44 

The  early  French  settlers  did  not  give  much  thought 
to  affairs  of  state.  They  believed  that  France  was  the 
greatest  nation  on  earth,  and  trusted  to  her  for  pro- 
tection. They  cared  nothing  for  fame,  any  more  than 
for  the  luxuries  of  life. 

The  peace  of  this  happy  people  was  at  last  broken 
by  a  rumor  that  all  Louisiana  had  been  ceded  to  Spain. 
In  the  hour  of  doubt  and  anxiety  they  appealed  to  their 
commandant,  St.  Ange. 

"  I  know  nothing  of  it,"  he  answered. 

But  after  a  while  the  rumors  were  confirmed  ;  and 
finally  a  courier  came  up  from  New  Orleans  to  say  that 
O'Reilly,  the  Spanish  governor,  had  taken  possession 
of  the  country.  The  people  in  Missouri  had  no  thought 
of  resisting  the  Spanish  government.  If  Louisiana  had 
really  been  ceded  to  Spain,  they  were  willing  to  abide 
by  the  result. 

On  May  20,  1770,  Pedro  Piernas,  as  lieutenant  gov- 
ernor of  Louisiana,  reached  St.  Louis  and  superseded 
St.  Ange.  The  change  was  made  quietly,  with  little 
show  or  parade.  Many  regretted  that  France  had 
abandoned  them,  but  all  submitted  without  a  murmur. 
In  time,  all  became  reconciled  to  the  change,  for  the 
administration  of  affairs  was  mild,  and  there  was  little 
cause  to  complain  of  the  new  ruler. 


VII. 
ATTACK   ON    ST.   LOUIS. 

DON  PEDRO  PIERNAS,  the  first  Spanish  lieu- 
tenant governor  at  St.  Louis,  was  an  agreeable 
disappointment.  He  was  a  just  and  kind  man,  and 
did  everything  in  his  power  to  assure  the  French 
settlers  that  their  private  possessions  would  not  be 
disturbed. 

A  strong  friendship  sprang  up  between  him  and  St. 
Ange,  whom  he  made  a  captain  of  infantry.  He  ap- 
pointed Martin  Duralde,  another  Frenchman,  surveyor 
to  establish  the  boundaries  of  the  land  grants  made  by 
St.  Ange,  and  in  a  public  manner  confirmed  them. 

In  1775,  Piernas  was  succeeded  by  Francisco  Cruzat. 
This  man  also  was  a  mild  ruler,  and  followed  the  policy 
of  his  predecessor.  He  lived  in  the  house  which  Piernas 
had  occupied  during  his  term  of  office.  This  house  had 
once  belonged  to  Laclede,  and  was  situated  at  the 
corner  of  Main  and  Walnut  streets.  In  1778,  Cruzat 
was  succeeded  by  Don  Fernando  de  Leyba,  a  drunken, 
avaricious,  feeble-minded  Spaniard  whom  no  one  could 
love  or  respect. 

For  three  years  a  great  struggle  had  been  going  on 
between  Great  Britain  and  her  American  colonies  on 
the  Atlantic  coast.  A  war  so  far  away  could  affect  the 

45 


46 

people  of  Missouri  but  little,  and  most  of  them  seldom 
gave  it  a  thought.  As  the  Indians  of  the  great  North- 
west, however,  had  taken  sides  with  the  British,  some 
of  the  settlers  advocated  the  policy  of  remaining  strictly 
neutral,  though  the  sympathies  of  all  were  with  the 
colonies. 

The  avowed  sympathy  of  Spain  for  the  American 
colonies  caused  the  people  of  St.  Louis  some  uneasi- 
ness. This  was  increased  when  Colonel  Rogers  Clark, 
the  American,  captured  the  British  posts  at  Cahokia, 
Kaskaskia,  and  other  villages  near  St.  Louis,  on  the 
east  side  of  the  river.  The  proximity  of  one  combatant 
might  bring  another.  Colonel  Clark,  however,  instead 
of  remaining  in  the  vicinity  of  St.  Louis,  hastened  away 
to  capture  the  British  fort  at  St.  Vincent  (now  Vin- 
cennes,  Indiana),  and  the  inhabitants  of  St.  Louis  began 
to  breathe  freely  again. 

But  Colonel  Chouteau  argued  to  his  fellow-townsmen 
that  Spanish  sympathy  with  the  colonies  made  St.  Louis 
an  object  of  British  and  Indian  wrath.  This  opinion 
was  strengthened  when  rumors  reached  St.  Louis,  day 
after  day,  that  large  bodies  of  Englishmen  and  Indians 
were  advancing  on  the  town.  The  colonel  and  his 
brother  repeatedly  called  attention  to  the  defenseless 
condition  of  the  place,  and  at  last  efforts  were  made 
to  fortify  it. 

A  wall  of  logs  and  clay  was  built  around  it,  five  feet 
high,  with  three  gates.  The  wall  was  semicircular  in 
form,  with  the  ends  terminating  at  the  river.  At  each 
of  the  gates  cannon  were  planted  and  kept  in  constant 
readiness  for  use.  A  small  fort  was  also  built  on  what 


47 

is  now  Fourth  Street,  near  Walnut ;  this  was  afterward 
used  for  a  prison. 

Months  passed,  and  no  foe  was  seen.  Winter  came 
and  went  without  any  indication  of  hostilities.  Those 
who  had  doubted  the  existence  of  danger  began  to  twit 
the  more  cautious  for  their  extra  care  in  building  the 
fortifications.  Even  the  most  apprehensive  relaxed 
their  vigilance  to  some  extent.  Spring  came,  and  to 
all  appearances  peace  reigned  west  of  the  Mississippi. 
But  in  reality  the  town  was  soon  to  be  the  scene  of 
conflict. 

A  few  years  before,  a  French  Canadian  named  Du- 
charme  had  been  caught  trading  with  Indians  in  the 
Spanish  territory.  As  this  was  in  violation  of  the 
Spanish  laws,  his  goods  were  seized  and  confiscated. 
Rankling  with  resentment,  he  now  helped  to  bring 
about  an  attack  on  St.  Louis  by  a  body  of  Ojibways, 
Winnebagoes,  Sioux,  and  other  Indians,  in  all  about 
fifteen  hundred,  under  the  leadership  of  a  British  offi- 
cer from  Fort  Michilimackinac.  Some  historians  say 
there  were  also  one  hundred  and  fifty  English  soldiers 
in  the  hostile  force.  This  numerous  band  gathered  on 
the  eastern  shore  of  the  river,  a  little  above  St.  Louis, 
and  made  arrangements  to  begin  the  attack  on  May  26, 
1780. 

May  25th  was  the  festival  of  Corpus  Christi,  which 
was  celebrated  by  the  Catholic  inhabitants  with  religious 
ceremonies,  feasting,  and  rejoicing.  A  number  of  men, 
women,  and  children  left  the  inclosure,  and  scattered 
about  over  the  prairie  to  pick  the  wild  strawberries 
which  grew  there  in  great  abundance. 


48 

Ducharme,  with  a  .part  of  his  Indian  force,  crossed 
over  that  day.  Spies  were  sent  through  the  woods  to 
reconnoiter,  but  fortunately  no  attack  was  made.  The 
commanders  of  the  expedition  did  not  think  their  force 
on  the  west  side  of  the  river  was  strong  enough  to  be 
successful. 

On  the  following  morning,  just  before  dawn,  the  re- 
mainder of  the  Indians  glided  across  the  Mississippi  in 
their  canoes,  and  landed  in  a  dense  wood,  where  is  now 
located  the  portion  of  the  city  called  Bremen.  They 
halted  long  enough  to  look  about  and  assure  them- 
selves that  their  arrival  was  unnoticed.  Then  they 
made  their  way  back  of  the  village,  hoping  to  find  some 
of  the  people  at  work  in  the  fields. 

Near  where  the  fair  grounds  are  now  situated,  there 
was  a  spring  which  was  known  as  Cardinal  Spring. 
Cardinal,  the  man  for  whom  it  was  named,  and  another 
man,  called  John  Baptiste  Riviere,  were  just  at  this 
time  near  by  it,  their  rifles  with  them.  Cardinal  was 
stooping  over  for  a  drink,  when  Riviere  discovered  a 
savage  creeping  through  the  tall  grass  among  the  trees. 

"  Indians  !  Indians  !  "  he  cried,  and  fired. 

Cardinal  started  up  and  seized  his  gun,  which  he  had 
laid  at  his  side.  Wild  yells  rose  all  arouncf  him.  He 
fired,  and  both  Frenchmen  then  turned  to  fly.  A  storm 
of  bullets  brought  Cardinal  bleeding  and  dying  to  the 
ground.  Riviere,  finding  escape  impossible,  surren- 
dered and  was  taken  to  the  Chicago  River;  but  in  time 
he  succeeded  in  gaining  his  freedom,  and  returned  to 
St.  Louis. 

There    were   others    outside   the    fortification.      The 


49 


firing  in  the  direction  of  Cardinal  Spring  was  the  first 
intimation  they  had  of  the  presence  of  a  foe.  As  soon 
as  they  heard  it,  they  started  for  the  fort  at  the  top  of 
their  speed.  It  was  a  race  for  life. 

The  next  victim  was  an  old  white-haired  man.  He 
had  been  in  the  field  at  work  when  the  firing  at  Car- 
dinal Spring  was  heard.  Dropping  his  hoe,  he  ran  to 
the  fence,  seized  his  gun,  and  started  for  the  fort. 
After  passing  through  a  grove  of  trees,  he  came  upon 
a  strip  of  prairie  that  lay  between  him  and  the  fort. 
Several  shots  were  here  fired  at  him,  but  all  missed. 
Half  a  dozen  Indians  started  to  head  him  off.  He 
fired,  and  for  a  moment  checked  them ;  but  one 
young  warrior,  running  a  little  nearer  to  the  old  man, 
leveled  his  rifle  and  shot  him  down. 


His  death  was  soon  avenged.  As 
the  old  man  fell,  a  swift-footed  young  Frenchman 
with  loaded  gun  was  running  to  his  relief.  Pausing 
near  the  body,  the  young  man  took  aim  and  shot  the 

STO.  OF  MO.  —  4 


50 

Indian  dead.  Then,  turning  to  the  fleeing  women  and 
children,  he  cried,  — 

"  Run  for  your  lives,  —  fly  to  the  fort !  "  Despite  the 
whizzing  of  bullets,  he  proceeded  to  reload  his  gun  and 
to  cover  their  flight.  Several  bullets  and  arrows  struck 
him  before  the  gun  was  reloaded.  He  fired  once  more, 
and  then  fell  dead. 

Both  Colonel  Auguste  Chouteau  and  his  brother 
Pierre  were  in  the  town  at  the  time  of  the  attack. 
Knowing  that  there  were  many  people  outside  the  in- 
closure,  they  seized  their  guns  and  rushed  bravely  to 
the  rescue.  On  the  way,  they  rallied  a  dozen  more 
armed  citizens.  When  they  reached  the  prairie,  a  ter- 
rible scene  met  their  eyes.  Men,  women,  and  children 
were  flying  toward  the  fort,  pursued  by  savages. 

"  Charge  !  "  cried  Colonel  Chouteau.  With  a  shout, 
his  gallant  little  band  of  followers  dashed  forward  and 
fired  a  volley  at  the  pursuing  Indians.  Three  or  four 
dropped  under  their  deadly  aim,  and  the  others  came 
to  a  halt.  This  gave  an  opportunity  for  the  remaining 
fugitives  to  reach  the  fort. 

The  town  of  St.  Louis  was  in  wild  confusion.  The 
long-dreaded  attack  had  come  at  last.  Citizens  seized 
their  guns  and  rushed  to  the  defense.  Colonel  Chou- 
teau and  his  brother  Pierre  were  the  heroes  of  the  day. 

"  Where  are  the  militia  from  Ste.  Genevieve  ?  "  asked 
some  one.  This  body  of  troops,  under  command  of 
Captain  Silvia  Francisco  Cartabona,  had  been  sent 
from  Ste.  Genevieve  some  time  before,  to  protect  the 
town  in  case  of  attack.  Now  they  were  nowhere  to  be 
seen.  Colonel  Chouteau  sent  his  brother  Pierre  to  find 


them.  The  latter  returned  in  a  few  moments  and  said 
that  they  were  hiding  in  the  houses,  and  that  he  was 
unable  to  bring  them  to  the  walls. 

"  And  where  is  Governor  Leyba  ?  "  asked  the  colonel. 

"  Locked  up  in  his  own  house,  drunk !  "  answered 
Pierre. 

"  Then  we  have  no  leader,"  cried  the  colonel.  "  We 
must  defend  ourselves." 

"  You  shall  be  our  leader.  We  will  fight  under  you," 
shouted  the  people.  They  could  not  have  chosen  a 
better  commander.  Auguste  Chouteau  was  brave,  be- 
loved, and  trusted.  He  and  his  brother,  with  the  most 
experienced  artillerists,  managed  the  cannon. 

The  Indians  rallied,  and  approached  the  fort.  When 
they  were  within  a  short  distance  of  it,  they  opened  an 
irregular  fire  on  the  gates.  From  the  wall  and  the  tops 
of  the  houses,  the  people  returned  the  fire  with  rifles 
and  muskets. 

The  artillerists  then  poured  in  volleys  of  grapeshot 
and  canister,  which  swept  down  the  red  foes  and  drove 
them  back.  This  energetic  resistance  was  unexpected. 
The  strength  of  the  fort,  and  the  roar  of  the  cannon, 
dismayed  the  savages.  Ducharme  was  wounded,  and 
his  Indian  allies  became  discouraged.  It  was  not  long 
before  they  abandoned  the  attack,  and  recrossed  the 
river. 

About  thirty  of  the  inhabitants  of  St.  Louis  were 
killed.  Most  of  the  slain  had  fallen  on  the  prairie, 
while  trying  to  reach  the  fort ;  many  of  these  were  old 
men,  women,  and  children.  About  thirty  more  had 
been  captured  and  carried  away.  A  number  of  these 


52 

were  afterward  released,  and  returned  to  their  homes ; 
some,  however,  were  never  seen  by  their  friends  again. 

The  cowardly  conduct  of  the  lieutenant  governor 
was  reported  to  the  authorities  at  New  Orleans,  and  an 
appeal  was  made  for  his  removal.  Leyba  was  there- 
fore recalled,  and  Cartabona  acted  in  his  place  until  the 
arrival  of  Cruzat,  who  was  again  appointed  lieutenant 
governor  of  Upper  Louisiana.  After  Cruzat  arrived 
the  fortifications  were  improved,  but  the  town  was  not 
again  attacked. 

In  1788,  Cruzat  was  succeeded  by  Manuel  Perez,  as 
commandant  general  of  the  post  of  St.  Louis  and  the 
West  Illinois  country.  In  1793,  Perez  gave  place  to 
Zenon  Trudeau,  who,  in  1 799,  was  succeeded  by  Charles 
Dehault  Delassus  de  Delusiere,  a  Frenchman  who  had 
been  in  the  service  of  Spain  many  years.  This  man 
was  the  last  Spanish  lieutenant  governor. 

In  1799,  Delassus,  as  he  is  usually  called,  had  a 
census  taken  of  the  Upper  Louisiana  settlements.  The 
result  was  as  follows :  Ste.  Genevieve,  949 ;  St.  Louis, 
925  ;  St.  Charles,  875  ;  New  Madrid,  782 ;  New  Bour- 
bon, 560;  Cape  Girardeau,  521;  St.  Andrew,  393; 
Marius  des  Liard,  376  ;  St.  Ferdinand,  276  ;  Carondelet, 
184;  Meramec,  115;  Little  Meadows,  72. 


VIII. 
DANIEL   BOONE   IN    MISSOURI. 

ABOUT  the  year  1797,  Daniel  Boone,  the  great 
hunter  and  Indian  fighter,  made  up  his  mind  to 
leave  his  home  and  go  to  Missouri.  There  were  several 
reasons  why  the  old  pioneer  decided  to  take  this  step, 
but  probably  the  most  important  one  was  the  loss  of  his 
land. 

Daniel  Boone  was  a  bold  pioneer  and  hunter,  but  a 
man  of  scant  education.  He  knew  but  little  of  the 
tricks  of  lawyers,  —  not  enough  to  protect  his  own  in- 
terests. Taking  it  for  granted  that  every  man  was 
honest  like  himself,  he  thought  that  no  great  knowl- 
edge of  law  was  necessary.  He  had  located  and  en- 
tered a  large  tract  of  land  in  Kentucky,  but  through 
carelessness  and  ignorance  of  law  had  failed  to  get  his 
papers  properly  executed  and  filed,  and  consequently 
he  lost  his  possessions. 

It  was  a  sad  blow  for  the  old  hero,  but  he  bore  up 
bravely,  as  he  did  under  all  his  afflictions.  When  he 
found  that  he  must  lose  his  home  and  land,  he  decided 
to  begin  anew  west  of  the  Mississippi. 

"Are  you  going  into  the  wilderness  again?"  asked 
his  wife. 

"Yes,  I  want  more  elbow  room.  They  are  getting 

53 


54 

settled  up  too  thick  about  me.  I  want  to  go  back  into 
the  forest,  where  I  can  once  more  hunt  the  buffalo  and 
deer." 

"  But  you  are  getting  too  old,"  she  argued. 

"  Too  old  ?  bah  !  My  arm  is  as  steady  and  my  eye 
as  true  as  ever.  I'll  bring  down  the  game  at  every 
shot,  never  fear." 

"  But  there  is  another  reason.  The  country  west  of 
the  Mississippi  is  owned  by  Spain.  Would  you  give 
up  an  English  home  for  a  Spanish  one  ? " 

"Our  home  is  where  we  make  it,  Rebecca,"  he 
answered.  "We  can  be  good  Spanish  subjects,  as  well 
as  good  Americans." 

Daniel  Boone,  having  spent  most  of  his  life  on  the 
frontier,  neither  knew  nor  cared  much  about  political 
affairs. 

Another  reason  for  his  deciding  to  go  into  Upper 
Louisiana,  or  Missouri,  was  an  invitation  from  Delassus, 
who  later  became  the  Spanish  lieutenant  governor,  and 
who  well  knew  the  worth  of  such  a  man  as  Daniel 
Boone  in  building  up  a  new  country.  Delassus  was  a 
wise,  patriotic,  and  unambitious  man.  He  saw  that 
there  was  a  great  future  for  the  country  over  which  he 
afterward  held  control,  but  he  knew  that  its  resources 
could  not  be  developed  unless  it  was  first  peopled. 
The  Anglo-Saxon  race  had  been  pouring  into  the  val- 
leys of  the  Ohio  and  the  Cumberland  from  the  Atlantic 
States.  If  these  emigrants  could  be  induced  to  come 
west  of  the  Mississippi,  the  territory  might  be  filled  up 
with  a  desirable  class  of  inhabitants.  No  man  on  the 
frontier  was  more  highly  respected  and  better  able  to 


55 


help  in  this  work  than  Daniel  Boone,  and  hence  Delassus 
was  anxious  to  have  him  move  into  Upper  Louisiana. 

About  the  year  1 797,  the  old  pioneer  went  over  into 
Missouri  and  settled  in  what  was  known  as  the  Femme 
Osage  (Osage  Woman)  settlement.  This  was  on  the  Mis- 
souri River  in  the  district  of  St.  Charles,  about  forty- 
five  miles  west  of  St.  Louis,  and  about  twenty-five  miles 

above  the  town  of  St.  Charles.    This  portion 

.1.        _— -, 

of  Missouri  was  then  wild  and  pictur- 
esque,—  just  such  a  country 
as  he  loved.    Here  in  the 
deep  forest,   where 
no  woodman's  ax 
had  yet  been  heard, 
he  built  him  a  log 
cabin  home. 

He  was  now  too 
old  to  join  in  the  ex- 
citing chase,  as  he  had 
done  in  his  youth,  but  with 
his  trusty  rifle  he  would  often 
to  the  haunts  of  the  deer  and  elk.    Here 
on  the  bank  of  some  stream  he  would  quietly 
lie,  sure  of  his  game  when  the  animals  carne  to  drink. 

Soon  after  his  arrival  in  Missouri,  Daniel  Boone  re- 
nounced his  allegiance  to  the  government  of  the  United 
States,  and  became  a  Spanish  subject.  On  June  n, 
1800,  Delassus  appointed  him  commandant,  or  syndic, 
of  the  Femme  Osage  district,  a  position  which  he  ac- 
cepted. The  office  was  both  civil  and  military.  In 
time  of  peace,  he  acted  as  an  adjudicator,  or  judge,  over 


56 

the  people  in  his  district,  and  in  time  of  war  he  was 
their  commander. 

The  matters  on  which  he  had  to  pass  judgment  were 
such  as  required  honesty  and  practical  common  sense, 
rather  than  a  knowledge  of  law.  He  was  fearless  and 
upright  in  his  decisions.  On  one  occasion,  a  desperado 
who  had  been  terrorizing  the  people  of  the  Femme 
Osage  district  was  publicly  reprimanded  by  Boone. 
The  man,  whTo  prided  himself  on  his  power  to  overawe 
the  people,  cried  out,  — 

"  If  you  were  not  an  old  man,  I  should  not  take  that 
from  you." 

"You  great  coward,"  responded  Boone,  shaking  his 
clenched  fist  close  to  the  man's  face,  "  if  you  want  to 
get  revenge  on  me  for  what  I  said,  don't  let  my  gray 
hairs  stand  in  the  way.  Old  as  I  am,  I  am  young  enough 
to  whip  you."  Quite  crestfallen,  the  fellow  slunk  away 
and  was  never  again  heard  to  say  anything  against  the 
old  pioneer. 

There  is  a  story  told  of  one  of  Boone's  decisions, 
which  shows  his  kindness  of  heart,  as  well  as  his 
scrupulous  honesty.  There  lived  in  his  settlement  a 
grasping,  miserly  fellow  who  had  emigrated  to  Missouri 
from  Virginia.  This  man  had  a  claim  against  a  widow 
who  was  very  poor. 

The  claim  was  no  doubt  a  lawful  one,  but  Boone 
thought  that  under  the  circumstances  the  man  ought 
not  to  have  pressed  it.  The  widow  had  but  one  cow, 
and  this  the  claimant  had  seized  to  satisfy  his  debt. 
When  the  commandant  had  heard  the  testimony  on 
both  sides,  he  said, — 


57 

"  The  widow  owes  you,  Tom  Turley ;  yet  you  are  a 
scoundrel  to  take  her  only  cow  to  pay  the  debt.  The 
law  says  you  shall  have  it.  Take  it  and  go,  but  never 
look  an  honest  man  in  the  face  again." 

Then,  turning  to  the  widow,  he  added,  "  Let  him 
have  it;  I'll  give  you  a  better  one." 

He  kept  his  word,  for  that  very  day  his  sons  drove  a 
fine  cow  to  the  home  of  the  widow. 

Though  acting  as  a  sort  of  judge,  Boone's  ignorance 
of  law  made  him  once  more  a  victim  of  legal  technicali- 
ties. The  Spanish  lieutenant  governor,  Delassus,  had 
in  the  first  place  given  him  a  grant  of  a  thousand 
arpents  (about  980  acres)  of  land  in  the  Femme  Osage 
district ;  and  he  afterwards  received  a  further  grant  of 
ten  thousand  arpents,  for  bringing  into  Upper  Louisiana 
one  hundred  families  from  Virginia  and  Kentucky.  The 
latter  transaction  was  the  result  of  a  definite  contract ; 
and  the  people  whom  Boone  induced  to  immigrate  into 
Missouri  represented  some  of  the  best  families  of  the 
frontier. 

Now,  in  order  to  confirm  the  grants,  it  was  necessary 
to  obtain  the  signature  of  the  direct  representative  of 
the  Spanish  crown,  who  at  that  time  resided  in  the  city 
of  New  Orleans.  As  Boone  neglected  to  comply  with 
this  requirement,  his  titles  to  both  tracts  of  land  were 
declared  invalid ;  but  after  the  country  became  part  of 
the  United  States  his  first  grant  was  confirmed  by  an 
act  of  Congress.  This  saved  to  him  only  a  part  of 
what  was  justly  his  own. 

When  all  Louisiana  was  purchased  by  the  United 
States,  Boone  and  his  sons  again  became  American 


58 

citizens.  Though  the  old  pioneer  was  well  advanced 
in  years,  he  took  a  lively  interest  in  the  affairs  of  the 
country.  He  even  participated  in  some  of  the  early 
struggles  with  the  Indians  in  Missouri. 

The  red  men  feared  him,  even  when  his  eye  had 
grown  dim,  and  his  hand  .feeble  with  age.  It  is  said 
that  a  Sac  chief  was  once  leading  his  warriors  to  attack 
a  fort  held  by  the  whites,  when  he  learned  that  Daniel 
Boone  was  in  the  fort.  He  at  once  stopped  his  men, 
turned  them  about,  and  started  back  to  his  own  village, 
saying,  "  It  is  no  use  to  fight  if  he  is  in  the  fort." 

On  March  18,  1813,  the  brave  pioneer's  wife  died. 
She  was  buried  on  the  top  of  a  beautiful  hill  overlooking 
the  Missouri  River,  about  one  mile  southeast  of  the 
town  of  Marthasville,  in  Warren  County.  Daniel 
Boone  was  never  the  same  cheerful,  happy  old  man 
after  her  death. 

On  September  26,  1820,  Boone  himself  died,  at  the 
residence  of  his  son,  Major  Nathan  Boone,  on  Femme 
Osage  Creek,  in  St.  Charles  County.  He  was  eighty- 
eight  years  of  age.  The  house  in  which  he  died  is  still 
standing.  It  is  of  stone,  and  was  the  first  of  the  kind 
ever  built  in  the  State. 

Daniel  Boone  was  buried  by  the  side  of  his  wife,  in  a 
cherry  coffin  which  he  had  made  himself,  and  had  kept 
ready  for  several  years.  In  1845,  both  he  and  his  wife 
were  disinterred  and  their  bodies  taken  to  Frankfort, 
Kentucky,  where  they  were  buried  with  all  the  honors 
and  ceremonies  due  to  a  hero. 


IX. 
MATURIN    BOUVET   AND   THE   OSAGES. 

DURING  the  administration  of  Delassus,  there  was 
a  constant  immigration  into  the  villages  and  settle- 
ments of  Upper  Louisiana.  Not  only  were  a  number 
of  settlers  induced  to  move  from  the  United  States  to 
Missouri,  but  a  great  many  French  people  came  up 
from  New  Orleans  and  what  is  now  Louisiana. 

This  immigration  was  attended  by  a  frenzied  spirit  of 
speculation.  Every  one  was  seeking  land,  which  was 
then  given  by  grant,  and  not  by  deed  as  at  present. 
These  grants  required  long  legal  proceedings  to  make 
them  valid,  and  have  been  the  cause  of  much  litigation 
in  the-  courts. 

It  was  not  a  healthy  speculation.  The  men  did  -not 
intend  to  improve  the  land,  but  simply  wanted  to  hold 
it  until  it  increased  in  value  and  could  be  sold  at  great 
profit.  In  some  cases  a  large  tract  would  be  secured  by 
a  single  person.  A  man  in  St.  Charles,  named  James 
Mackay,  obtained  a  grant  for  thirty  thousand  acres  ;  and 
Francis  Sevier  received  one  for  eight  thousand  eight 
hundred  acres. 

We  can  hardly  understand  at  this  day  why  such  large 
grants  should  have  been  made ;  we  must  remember, 
however,  that  from  the  Mississippi  to  New  Mexico  the 

59 


6o 

country  was  one  vast  wilderness.  For  this  reason,  a 
thousand  acres  seemed  to  be  no  more,  comparatively, 
than  a  grain  of  sand  on  the  ocean  beach.  To  fix  the 
exact  location  of  the  many  grants  made,  surveys  were 
extended  a  long  distance  in  every  direction,  although 
the  men  engaged  in  them  were  liable  to  be  attacked  by 
roving  bands  of  Indians. 

At  this  time  there  lived  in  St.  Charles  a  Frenchman 
named  Maturin  Bouvet.  He  was  a  noted  hunter  and 
Indian  trader.  From  one  of  the  young  men  who  had 
been  some  distance  into  the  upper  country,  he  learned 
that  there  was  a  salt  spring  in  the  forest,  and  he  went  to 
investigate  it  for  himself.  He  found  the  water  so  briny 
that  he  determined  to  bring  kettles  and  manufacture 
salt  from  it. 

The  Indians  had  shown  a  spirit  of  unfriendliness  for 
several  months,  and  Bouvet  was  warned  not  to  venture 
so  far  from  the  settlements ;  but  he  was  a  daring  man, 
and  paid  no  heed  to  his  advisers.  With  his  kettles  and 
a  few  companions,  he  embarked  upon  the  river  and 
drifted  down  to  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri.  Then  he 
sailed  up  the  Mississippi,  and  continued  on  till  he 
reached  the  stream  on  which  the  salt  spring  had  been 
discovered.  This  is  supposed  to  have  been  one  of  the 
tributaries  of  Salt  River,  in  either  Pike  or  Rails  County. 

When  the  spring  was  reached,  the  men  cut  some 
poles  with  their  axes,  and  from  them  made  a  rude 
shanty.  Its  shelter  was  hardly  sufficient  to  protect  them 
from  the  storms. 

The  country  about  them  was  wild,  with  no  human  in- 
habitant near,  unless  the  wandering  bands  of  Indians 


6i 

could  be  called  inhabitants.  At  night  the  wild  animals 
came  so  near  to  the  camp  that  the  men  could  see  the 
fire  light  reflected  in  their  eyes.  One  day  a  party  of 
Indians  came,  but  the  white  men  drove  them  away. 

When  they  had  finished  their  shanty,  they  built  a  fur- 
nace and  hung  over  it  their  kettles,  which  they  filled 
with  water  from  the  salt  spring.  Then  they  boiled  the 
water  until  it  had  all  evaporated,  and  nothing  but  the 
salt  remained.  The  yield  was  considerable. 

One  day,  while  the  salt  makers  were  away  from 
the  camp  chasing  a  wounded  deer,  some  Indians 
came  to  it  and  stole  three  blankets  and  a  few  other 
articles. 

On  discovering  his  loss,  Bouvet  was  furious.  With 
his  companions,  he  pursued  the  thieves  far  into  the 
woods  and  across  the  prairies,  but  did  not  overtake 
them.  He  then  went  to  Delassus,  represented  that  he 
had  been  robbed,  and  demanded  reparation.  The  lieu- 
tenant governor,  always  generous  in  making  land  grants, 
gave  him  "twenty  arpents  square"  for  the  trifling  loss 
he  had  sustained.  On  the  same  day,  by  the  way, 
Delassus  made  two  large  grants  for  distillery  purposes, 
and  a  third  to  supply  the  fuel  necessary  for  their  use ; 
and  the  first  distillery  in  St.  Louis  was  built  by  Auguste 
Chouteau,  who  received  one  of  these  grants. 

The  "twenty  arpents  square"  granted  to  Maturin 
Bouvet  were  west  of  Ste.  Genevieve.  He  engaged  four 
assistants  to  help  him  survey  his  land.  Hostile  Osages 
were  in  the  vicinity,  and  Bouvet  was  warned  to  defer 
locating  the  bounds  ;  but,  as  daring  as  he  was  avaricious, 
he  said,  — 


62 

"  I'm  not  afraid  of  them.  They  won't  come  within 
reach  of  our  rifles." 

With  his  four  companions,  and  all  the  implements 
necessary  to  a  surveying  party,  he  started  out  into  the 
forest.  To  protect  themselves  from  the  Indians,  the 
white  men  carried  rifles  slung  over  their  shoulders,  even 
when  at  work.  One  day,  while  running  a  line  across 
a  strip  of  prairie,  one  of  Bouvet's  companions  looked 
over  a  small  stream,  and  said,  — 

" There  they  are!" 

"  Indians  !  "  exclaimed  Bouvet. 

A  party  of  a  dozen  savages  could  be  seen  standing 
on  a  slight  elevation,  just  across  the  stream.  They 
were  gazing  coolly  at  the  white  men,  whom  they  evi- 
dently regarded  as  intruders.  Bouvet  and  his  compan- 
ions dropped  their  surveying  implements,  and  grasped 
their  rifles.  The  Indians,  however,  showed  no  inclina- 
tion to  attack  them,  and  after  a  few  moments  went 
away  into  the  forest. 

"There!  they  are  gone,"  said  Bouvet.  "We  shan't 
see  any  more  of  them." 

"Lon't  be  deceived;  they'll  get  reinforcements  and 
come  back,"  said  one  of  his  companions. 

"  Nonsense !  they'll  never  bother  us,"  declared 
Bouvet. 

No  doubt  the  Frenchman  had  his  land  grant  in  mind, 
and  feared  that  the  Indians  would  frighten  his  men 
away.  With  the  above  remark  the  subject  was  dropped, 
and  the  men  resumed  their  work. 

Next  morning,  while  they  were  still  around  their 
camp,  preparing  breakfast,  they  heard  what  sounded 


like  a  turkey  in  the  woods.  One  of  the  men,  a  Ken- 
tuckian  named  Lewis,  seized  his  gun,  and  started  into 
the  dense  wood,  saying,  — 

"  I'll  be  back  soon  with  a  fat  gobbler." 

The  noise  he  heard  was  not  made  by  a  turkey,  but 
by  an  Indian.  By  using  a  bone  taken  from  a  turkey's 
wing,  the  savages  could  produce  a  sound  so  like  the 
real  call  as  to  deceive  a  wild  turkey  itself.  Such  a 
bone  was  often  used  by  hunters  as  a  decoy,  and  was 
known  as  a  "  turkey  call"  or  "cowker." 

Lewis  had  been  absent  but  a  few  moments  when 
those  in  the  camp  heard  the  report  of  a  gun. 

"  There,  he's  got  one  of  them,"  said  one  of  the  sur- 
veyors. 

Two  more  reports  in  quick  succession  puzzled  and 
alarmed  them.  They  had  just  seized  their  guns,  when 
Lewis  ran  through  the  camp,  his  left  arm  shattered  by 
a  bullet. 

"  Indians  !  Indians  !  "  he  shouted. 

Bouvet  tried  to  induce  his  men  to  make  a  stand,  but 
they  fled  without  firing  a  shot.  The  Indians,  a  party 
of  Osages,  came  hurrying  toward  the  camp ;  and  Bou- 
vet shot  the  first  one  that  came  in  sight.  This  caused 
the  others  to  halt.  The  Frenchman  took  advantage  of 
the  delay  to  reload  his  gun,  and  then,  seeing  that  there 
were  more  than  a  score  of  the  Osages,  he  decided  to 
escape  if  he  could.  * 

A  few  rods  to  his  left  was  a  ravine,  and  toward 
this  he  ran.  The  Indians,  discovering  his  design,  fired 
several  shots  at  him.  One  of  their  balls  wounded 
him  in  the  left  leg,  but  he  limped  to  the  ravine  and 


64 


jumped  in.     The  bed  was  dry,  stony,  and  covered  with 
leaves. 

The  Osages,  seeing  they  had  but  one  man  to  deal 
with,  became  bolder  and  pressed  forward.  They  knew 
that  the  white  man  was  wounded,  and  counted  his  cap- 
ture as  sure.  They  opened  fire  on  him.  The  bullets 
whistled  about  his  ears  ;  they  cut  off  the  twigs  and 
leaves  of  the  trees  that  grew  along  the  sides  of  the 
ravine,  and  shattered  the  bark  from  the  bodies  of  the 
saplings,  but  did  not  touch  Bouvet. 

At  last  he  turned  and  fired  at  the  savages,  wounding 
one  of  them.     The  Indians,  knowing  that  his  gun  was 
empty,  then  ran  down  the  hill  and  threw 
themselves  upon  him.     He  made  a  desper- 
ate fight  for  his  life,  keeping  them  off 
for  a  while  with  the  butt  of  his  rifle 
and  with  his  knife ;  but  before 
long  he  was  knocked  down  with 
a  club,  and  made  captive.   He 
was  taken  to  the  Osage  vil- 
lage, where  he  was  subjected 
to  the  most  horrible  tor- 
tures,    and     finally 
burned  at  the  stake. 
It  was  many  years 
before  his  fate  was 
known ;   but  at  last 
one  of  the   Indians 
who  was  present  told 
how  he  was  captured 
and  put  to  death. 


65 

This  was  but  one  of  the  many  incidents  of  the  kind 
which  happened  to  those  who  surveyed  the  land  grants 
of  Delassus.  And  this  was  not  the  only  trouble  which 
those  grants  were  destined  to  cause.  Owing  to  defec- 
tive proof  of  transfer,  indefinite  description  of  the  local 
boundaries,  and  sometimes  doubtful  or  insufficient  evi- 
dence of  actual  occupancy,  they  were  fruitful  of  long  and 
expensive  lawsuits,  lasting  years  after  Missouri  became 
a  State. 


X. 

LOUISIANA    PURCHASE. 

GLANCING  carelessly  at  history,  one  might  think 
that  the  conduct  of  France  and  Spain  over  Louisi- 
ana was  not  unlike  that  of  two  children  with  a  play- 
thing. France  was  the  big  child,  and  Spain  the  smaller 
one.  In  a  seeming  fit  of  good  humor,  France,  as  has 
been  stated,  gave  Louisiana  to  Spain  in  1762.  Then, 
after  Spain  had  had  possession  for  a  time,  France 
wanted  it  back,  and,  being  the  "biggest,"  got  it:  the 
date  of  this  cession  was  October  i,  1800. 

All  this  seems  at  first  like  child's  play  ;  and,  when  we 
consider  the  secrecy  with  which  the  transfers  were 
made,  it  is  a  little  mysterious.  But  there  was  a  deep 
meaning  behind  it  all.  There  were  sound  reasons  for 
each  step,  and  the  transfers  are  of  importance  in  the 
history  of  Europe  as  well  as  in  that  of  Missouri. 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  century  and 
first  part  of  the  nineteenth,  France  and  England  were 
bitter  enemies.  One  might  be  justified  in  suspecting 
that  the  generosity  of  France  to  Spain  in  1762  was  from 
a  fear  that  the  British  government  would  seize  Louisi- 
ana. The  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century  showed 
a  different  state  of  affairs.  England  had  lost  almost  all 
her  possessions  in  America  except  Canada,  and  some 


67 

statesmen  thought  that  France  would  now  be  able  to 
hold  Louisiana. 

Napoleon,  the  great  general  of  whom  we  read  so 
much,  was  at  this  time  engaged  in  a  terrible  war  with 
nearly  all  Europe.  Successful  as  he  had  been,  there 
were  some  who  doubted  that  he  could  continue  to  be  so. 
England  was  an  enemy  that  Napoleon  had  not  been 
able  to  injure.  For  political  reasons,  many  doubted  the 
wisdom  of  getting  back  the  Louisiana  territory  ;  but 
Napoleon  insisted,  and  in  1800  the  treaty  was  signed 
which  put  it  once  more  under  French  control. 

Scarcely,  however,  had  France  come  into  possession 
of  it,  when  Napoleon  began  to  fear  that  the  British 
would  take  it  from  him.  It  was  too  far  away  for  him 
to  protect,  especially  while  England  remained  the 
strongest  power  on  the  seas.  For  this  reason,  the 
retrocession  of  Louisiana,  as  it  was  called,  was  kept 
a  secret  for  some  time.  Indeed,  France  never  formally 
took  possession  of  the  territory  until  after  she  had  sold 
it  to  the  United  States. 

The  United  States  government,  through  its  minister, 
Robert  R.  Livingston,  had  for  some  time  been  trying  to 
gain  possession  of  a  part  of  this  valuable  country.  The 
French  had  once  been  compelled  to  part  with  Louisiana 
to  prevent  the  British  from  getting  it,  and  Napoleon 
finally  concluded  that  they  had  better  do  so  again.  The 
United  States  had  successfully  resisted  Great  Britain, 
and,  after  a  seven  years'  war,  had  gained  independence. 
Between  the  two  great  English-speaking  countries  there 
was  at  that  time  no  real  friendship,  though  they  were  at 
peace.  Napoleon  knew  of  no  better  purchaser  than 


68 

the  United  States,  and  the  sale  was  made.  The  treaty 
was  signed  in  Paris,  April  30,  1803,  during  the  first 
administration  of  Thomas  Jefferson. 

"  To-day  I  have  given  to  England  a  maritime  rival 
that  will  sooner  or  later  humble  her  pride,"  said  Napo- 
leon, after  he  had  signed  the  contract  which  gave  all 
Louisiana  to  the  United  States. 

"We  have  lived  long,  but  this  is  the  noblest  work 
of  our  whole  lives,"  said  Livingston  to  Marbois,  the 
French  representative.  "  The  treaty  which  we  have 
just  signed  will  change  vast  solitudes  into  flourishing 
districts.  From  this  day  the  United  States  take  their 
place  among  the  powers  of  the  first  rank." 

It  was  a  great  transaction  ;  an  affair  of  mighty  conse- 
quence to  Missouri  and  the  whole  United  States.  By 
it  our  government  acquired  a  vast  domain,  extending 
from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  the  British  possessions  on 
the  north,  and  from  the  Mississippi  River  to  the  Rocky 
Mountains ;  for  Louisiana  then  comprised  all  the  pres- 
ent States  of  Louisiana,  Arkansas,  Missouri,  Iowa, 
Nebraska,  South  and  North  Dakota,  and  Montana; 
Indian  Territory;  and  parts  of  Minnesota,  Wyoming, 
Colorado,  Kansas,  and  Oklahoma. 

The  price  paid  France  was  sixty  million  francs,  equal 
to  almost  twelve  million  dollars.  In  addition,  the 
United  States  agreed  to  assume  certain  claims  which 
citizens  of  this  country  had  against  France,  amounting 
to  three  millions.  This  made  the  territory  cost,  alto- 
gether, fifteen  millions  of  dollars,  or  less  than  three 
cents  an  acre. 

Some   declared  that  the  President  had  no  authority 


69 

to  make  the  purchase.  President  Jefferson  admitted 
that  he  stretched  his  power  "  till  it  cracked " ;  but 
though  he  doubted  his  own  authority,  he  did  not  doubt 
the  wisdom  of  the  transaction.  In  giving  his  reasons 
for  making  the  purchase,  he  said,  - 

"  There  is  on  the  globe  one  single  spot,  the  possessor 
of  which  is  our  natural  and  habitual  enemy.  It  is 
New  Orleans,  through  which  the  produce  of  three 
eighths  of  our  territory  must  pass  to  market.  -This 
territory,  from  its  fertility,  will  yield  more  than  half 
of  our  whole  produce,  and  contain  more  than  half  of 
our  inhabitants." 

Though  many  opposed  the  measure  of  Jefferson,  a 
majority  agreed  with  him  in  the  wisdom  of  his  policy. 
The  Louisiana  purchase  prevented  Great  Britain  from 
seizing  the  territory,  extinguished  the  French  claim, 
and  made  it  impossible  for  any  other  monarchy  to  gain 
a  new  foothold  in  North  America.  Had  it  not  been 
made,  it  is  possible  that  Missouri  would  to-day  be  sub- 
ject to  some  foreign  power. 

As  already  stated,  the  purchase  was  made  in  1803; 
in  October  of  the  same  year,  the  treaty  was  ratified  by 
the  United  States  Senate. 

On  December  20,  the  American  troops  entered  the 
city  of  New  Orleans.  Nine  days  later,  at  midday,  the 
flag  of  France  which  floated  from  the  staff  in  the  public 
square  of  New  Orleans  began  to  descend.  At  the 
same  time,  the  stars  and  stripes  of  the  American  Union 
appeared  above  the  crowd,  and  slowly  mounted  the 
pole.  Midway,  the  two  flags  met.  Then  amidst  the 
thunders  of  cannon,  the  music  of  "  Hail  Columbia," 


the  cheers  of  spectators,  and  the  waving  of  hand- 
kerchiefs and  banners,  the  tricolor  continued  its 
descent  to  the  ground,  and  the  flag  of  the  United 
I  States  soared  rapidly  aloft  and  flung  out  its  folds 
to  the  breeze  on  the  summit  of  the  staff. 

Though  Louisiana  proper  was 
surrendered  to  the  United 
States  December  29,  1803, 
it  was  not  until  March 
9,  1804,  that  Upper 
Louisiana  was  form- 
ally handed  over  to 
the  American  au- 
thorities. On  that 
day,  the  American 
troops  crossed  the 
river  from  Cahokia,  Illinois, 
and  Don  Carlos  Delassus 
delivered  the  territory  to 
Captain  Amos  Stoddard  of 
the  United  States  army. 
A  little  explanation  may  make  clear  a  point  which 
seems  somewhat  confused.  Upper  Louisiana  had  not 
up  to  this  time  been  surrendered  to  France.  Delassus, 
the  lieutenant  governor,  still  ruled  the  country  as  a 
Spanish  official.  In  order  to  make  the  transfer  regular 
and  legal,  Captain  Stoddard  was  made  the  agent  of 
France,  to  receive  from  Spain  the  formal  surrender 
of  Upper  Louisiana.  This  took  place  March  9,  1804, 
and  on  the  next  day  the  territory  was  transferred  from 
France  to  the  United  States,  according  to  the  treaty. 


On  March  8,  1804,  Missouri  belonged  to  Spain,  on 
the  Qth  it  belonged  to  France,  and  on  the  loth  it  was 
the  property  of  the  United  States.  In  three  days, 
Upper  Louisiana  belonged  to  three  different  nations. 

Though  the  people  of  St.  Louis  were  in  sympathy 
with  the  new  republic  in  the  east,  they  were  strongly 
attached  to  the  old  government.  It  was  with  feelings 
of  regret  and  apprehension  that  they  saw  the  stars  and 
stripes  take  the  place  of  the  well-known  flag  of  Spain. 

The  transfer  worked  a  wonderful  change  in  St.  Louis 
and  all  the  other  Missouri  settlements.  Business  be- 
came more  brisk,  and  the  population  was  rapidly  in- 
creased by  an  energetic  and  thrifty  class  of  settlers, 
who  came  from  the  eastern  and  southern  States. 

On  March  26,  1804,  two  weeks  after  Captain  Stod- 
dard  assumed  command  of  St.  Louis,  Congress  passed 
an  act  dividing  Louisiana  into  two  parts.  The  southern 
part  was  known  as  the  Territory  of  Orleans,  and  later 
became  the  State  of  Louisiana.  The  northern  part  was 
at  first  called  the  District  of  Louisiana,  and  was  attached, 
for  administrative  purposes,  to  Indiana  Territory.  .  The 
next  year,  however,  it  was  itself  made  a  Territory,  and 
General  Wilkinson  of  the  United  States  army  was  ap- 
pointed the  first  governor. 

The  capital  of  the  Territory  was  St.  Louis,  and  the 
executive  offices  were  in  the  old  government  building 
on  Main  Street,  just  south  of  the  public  square,  called 
La  Place  d'Armes. 


XI. 

THE    FIRST   SCHOOLMASTERS. 

AN  action  often  produces  a  result  entirely  different 
from  that  which  was  expected  or  planned.  What 
is  intended  as  an  injury  to  a  person  or  country  some- 
times results  in  a  benefit. 

When  Aaron  Burr,  in  1805,  conspired  to  seize  all  the 
western  Territories  and  States,  annex  them  to  Mexico, 
and  set  up  an  empire,  he  hoped  not  only  to  make  him- 
self the  emperor,  but  also  to  strike  a  blow  at  the  United 
States  government,  which  he  hated.  His  effort  resulted 
in  his  own  ruin,  but  was  of  some  practical  benefit  to 
Missouri. 

In  1805  Burr  went  to  St.  Louis  and  held  an  interview 
with  General  Wilkinson,  then  governor  of  the  Territory. 
His  object  was  to  induce  the  general  to  join  him  in  his 
enterprise  of  setting  up  a  new  empire.  Some  of  Burr's 
friends  insist  that  Governor  Wilkinson  did  consent  to 
aid  in  the  conspiracy,  but  they  are  of  doubtful  authority, 
and  Wilkinson  himself  always  denied  having  any  such 
intentions. 

Burr  organized  his  expedition-,  started  down  the  Ohio 
with  a  fleet  of  keel  boats,  and  entered  the  Mississippi 
with  a  number  of  armed  men.  They  were  arrested  by 
the  United  States  authorities,  and  Burr  was  taken  a 

72 


73 

prisoner  to  Virginia,  where  he  was  tried  and  acquitted. 
The  most  of  Burr's  followers  were  confined  in  Missouri, 
where,  after  a  few  weeks  or  months  of  imprisonment, 
they  also  were  acquitted.  Many  of  them  were  young 
men  from  New  York  City,  who  were  naturally  not  at  all 
fitted  for  the  rugged  life  of  pioneers.  They  were  men 
of  education  and  refinement,  who  now  found  themselves 
thrown  into  a  most  unfortunate  position,  with  no  means 
of  getting  back  to  their  far-off  homes  on  the  Atlantic 
coast. 

Their  situation  was  really  deplorable.  Left  as  they 
were  without  money,  hundreds  of  miles  away  from 
home,  surrounded  by  people  with  ways  and  manners 
wholly  different  from  their  own,  and  yet  compelled  to 
live  with  them,  it  became  a  serious  question  how  the 
young  strangers  should  earn  their  livelihood.  They 
could  not  cut  down  the  great  trees,  nor  plow  the  prairies, 
nor  hunt  and  trap,  as  .did  the  hardy  frontiersmen. 

Of  what  avail  was  all  education  in  this  wilderness, 
where  muscle,  and  not  brains,  was  in  demand  ?  At  last 
one  of  them  suggested  that  they  turn  teachers.  They 
decided  to  do  so ;  and,  according  to  the  statement  of 
an  official  of  the  time,  they  supplied,  the  Territory  with 
dancing  masters,  writing  masters,  and  school-teachers 
for  many  years. 

A  band  of  these  itinerant  pedagogues  went  up  the 
river  to  St.  Louis  and  spread  over  Missouri,  pursuing 
their  vocation.  They  were  the  first  professional  school- 
teachers Missouri  ever  had.  Their  lot  was  a  hard  one, 
but  they  planted  the  seeds  of  education,  and  did  much 
good.  Except  what  little  the  priests  had  been  able  to 


74 

do  in  mission  schools,  education  was  unknown  in  Mis- 
souri until  Burr's  expedition  supplied  the  Territory 
with  teachers. 

The  country  was  thinly  populated,  and  the  people 
poor.  There  were  no  schoolhouses  outside  of  three  or 
four  towns,  and  the  first  schools  were  taught  in  the 
cabins  of  the  people.  Sometimes  a  night  school  was 
added,  which  the  parents  attended. 

Spelling,  reading,  writing,  and  arithmetic  were  the 
only  branches  thought  essential  at  that  time.  The 
schoolmaster  was  paid  so  much  "a  head,"  or  for  each 
scholar.  He  lived  with  the  people  in  the  neighborhood 
where  he  taught,  and  assisted  in  making  fires,  splitting 
wood,  milking  cows,  and  in  other  odd  jobs  to  earn  his 
board. 

He  was  paid  whatever  the  people  could  afford  to 
give  him.  The  great  hope  of  these  teachers  was  to 
accumulate  enough  money  to  return  to  their  homes 
across  the  Alleghanies ;  but  year  after  year  passed 
by,  and  they  were  still  as  poor  as  when  they  were 
freed  from  prison.  Few,  if  any,  ever  returned  to  New 
York. 

Congress  appropriated  the  common  fields  of  the  vil- 
lages to  school  purposes,  but  it  was  a  long  time  before 
Missouri  derived  any  benefit  from  a  public  school  fund. 
There  was  nothing  of  the  kind  during  the  time  of  Burr's 
teachers. 

When  these  first  itinerant  pedagogues,  or  wandering 
schoolmasters,  became  tired  of  teaching  in  private 
houses,  they  urged  the  people  in  the  settlements  to 
erect  separate  buildings  for  school  purposes.  In  one 


neighborhood,  the  frontiersmen    began   to  discuss   the 
plan,  and  a  majority  of  them  approved  of  it. 

Ste.  Genevieve,  St.  Louis,  and  St.  Charles  already  had 
cabins  which  were  used  for  schoolhouses ;  and  these 
men  thought  that  there  was  no  reason  why  other  settle- 
ments should  not  have  them  also. 

One  day  the  settlers  gathered  at  a  spot  agreed  upon, 
with    their   axes    in    their 
hands,  for  the   purpose 
of  beginning  their  first 
schoolhouse.        The 
schoolmaster  came 
with  them  to  super- 
intend the  affair. 

They  began  to  cut 
down  trees,  hew  the 
sides,  and  notch  the 
ends.  Then  they  laid 
log  upon  log  until  the 
walls  were  of  the  right 
height.  A  door  was 
sawed  out  of  one  side, 
and  a  log  left  out  on 
the  opposite  side  for  the  window.  Nearly  a  whole  end 
was  taken  up  with  a  huge  fireplace,  above  which  rose  a 
stick-and-mud  chimney.  The  cracks  between  the  logs 
were  chinked  and  daubed  with  clay,  mixed  with  leaves 
and  grass. 

Some  of  the  men  split  thin  slabs  from  logs  and  hewed 
one  side  smooth.  These  were  the  puncheons  of  which 
the  floor  was  made.  In  other  cabin  schoolhouses  there 


76 

was  often  no  floor  at  all.  The  .furniture  was  composed 
of  benches  without  backs,  and  a  long  thin  slab  or  board 
for  a  writing  desk.  The  long  window  was  without  glass, 
but  a  thin  piece  of  cloth  or  paper  was  pasted  over  it  to 
keep  out  the  wind  in  winter.  In  houses  of  this  sort 
were  taught  the  first  schools  in  Missouri. 

What  text-books  did  they  use  ?  Almost  anything. 
The  only  regularity  was  in  the  spelling  book  and  arith- 
metic. For  readers  some  had  the  New  Testament, 
others  Bunyan's  "  Pilgrim's  Progress,"  Weem's  "  Life 
of  Marion,"  of  Washington,  or  of  Franklin,  or  any  other 
book  that  the  family  had,  or  could  borrow. 

St.  Louis,  St.  Charles,  Boone,  and  Howard  counties 
were  the  first  to  enjoy  anything  like  respectable  schools. 
As  new  counties  were  laid  out  and  settled,  each  had  to 
pass  through  the  stage  of  the  log  schoolhouse,  with 
three  months'  schooling  a  year,  and  the  teacher  board- 
ing about  among  the  scholars. 

Before  there  was  a  county  school  fund,  or  a  county 
commissioner,  the  trustees  often  took  it  upon  themselves 
to  examine  an  applicant  as  to  his  qualifications.  The 
teachers  in  those  days  were  usually  ignorant,  and  their 
examiners  more  so. 

There  is  a  story  told  of  one  of  these  examinations, 
which  illustrates  the  ignorance  of  both  teacher  and 
trustees.  The  applicant  was  asked  if  the  earth  was 
round  or  flat.  He  answered  that  he  wasn't  quite  sure, 
but  that  he  was  prepared  to  teach  it  either  way.  After 
a  conference  on  the  part  of  the  trustees,  it  was  decided 
that  he  should  teach  that  it  was  flat. 

The  school  children  in  those  days  were  mischievous, 


77 

much  as  they  are  now  in  country  districts.  They  had 
a  fashion  of  "turning  the  master  out"  on  the  last  day 
of  school,  or  at  the  beginning  of  the  holidays,  to  make 
him  treat.  They  would  go  to  the  schoolhouse  before 
he  did,  and  bar  the  door  so  that  he  could  not  get  in. 
It  was  their  purpose  to  keep  him  out  until  he  would 
agree  to  give  them  a  treat  of  apples  or  candy. 

Sometimes  the  teacher  took  this  joke  all  in  good  part, 
and  sometimes  he  did  not.  If  he  was  too  obstinate,  the 
"big  boys"  would  seize  him  and  carry  him  to  the  near- 
est stream  or  pond,  and  "duck  him  "  in  the  water  until 
he  would  agree  to  treat.  Often  they  would  have  to  cut 
the  ice  before  they  could  dip  him  under  the  water. 


XII. 
E*ARLY    MISSOURIANS. 

WHEN  Louisiana  was  purchased  by  the  United 
States,  St.  Louis  was  only  a  village,  laid  out 
and  built  according  to  the  French  plan.  There  were 
two  long  streets  running-  parallel  with  the  river,  and  a 
number  of  others  intersecting  them  at  right  angles. 

A  few  houses  stood  on  a  line  with  what  is  now 
Third  Street,  then  known  as  La  rue  des  Granges,  or 
"  The  Street  of  Barns."  The  church  building  on  Second 
Street  was  an  ordinary  "hewed  log  house."  West  of 
Fourth  Street,  there  was  little  else  than  woods  and 
commons.  The  largest  house  in  St.  Louis  was  the 
government  building  on  Main  Street,  near  Walnut. 

There  was  no  post  office,  and  no  need  of  one,  for 
there  was  no  regular  postal  service  in  Missouri.  A 
village  merchant,  however,  would  bring  letters  home 
with  his  goods,  and  stick  them  up  in  the  windows  of 
his  store,  so  that  the  owners  could  come  and  get  them. 
He  .also  took  it  upon  himself  to  forward  letters  for  his 
customers. 

Government  boats  occasionally  ran  between  St.  Louis 
and  New  Orleans,  but  there  was  no  regular  passenger 
or  freight  line.  Furs  and  lead  were  the  principal  arti- 
cles of  export,  for  farming  had  hardly  become  an  indus- 

78 


79 

try.  Corn,  wheat,  and  vegetables  were  grown,  but  only 
in  sufficient  quantity  to  supply  home  demands. 

Le  Clerc,  who  lived  on  Main  Street,  between  Walnut 
and  Elm,  was  the  only  baker  in  the  town ;  and  as  yet 
there  were  but  three  blacksmiths  and  only  one  physi- 
cian. There  were  two  little  French  taverns,  both  near 
the  corner  of  Main  and  Locust  streets.  One  was  kept 
by  Yostic,  and  the  other  by  Laudreville. 

Merchants  were  numerous,  but  they  held  their  goods 
at  very  high  prices.  A  store  at  that  time  was  quite  dif- 
ferent from  one  of  to-day.  A  place  only  a  few  feet 
square  would  contain  the  entire  stock  of  a  merchant. 
Indeed,  it  was  not  unusual  for  one  of  the  first  traders 
in  town  to  keep  his  goods  in  a  box  or  chest,  supplied 
with  a  lid,  which  he  opened  when  he  wished  to  display 
his  wares  to  a  customer. 

Soon  after  St.  Louis  became  an  American  town,  a 
post  office  was  found  to  be  necessary.  Immigrants  were 
pouring  into  the  new  Territory,  and  St.  Louis  and  the 
adjoining  settlements  were  increasing  their  population. 
The  newcomers  had  friends  in  the  South  and  East 
with  whom  they  wished  to  correspond,  and  the  business 
of  the  town  had  made  it  more  important  than  many  a 
place  of  its  size.  In  1804  the  first  official  post  office 
in  St.  Louis  was  established,  with  Mr.  Rufus  Easton  as 
postmaster. 

Mr.  Joseph  Charless  came  to  St.  Louis  soon  after 
Louisiana  became  the  property  of  the  United  States. 
He  was  a  printer  by  trade,  and  had  a  contract  to  do  the 
printing  for  the  Territory.  Mr.  Charless  was  an  intelli- 
gent, enterprising  gentleman,  and  he  foresaw  a  great 


8o 

future  for  the  new  town!  He  conceived  the  idea  of 
establishing  a  newspaper  in  St.  Louis,  although  none  as 
yet  had  ever  been  published  west  of  the  Mississippi. 

When  Charless  mentioned  the  matter  to  some  friends, 
they  advised  against  the  enterprise ;  but  he  was  not  to 
be  deterred  from  his  purpose,  and  on  July  12,  1808,  he 
issued  the  first  number  of  the  Missouri  Gazette.  It  was 
a  sheet  no  larger  than  a  royal  octavo  page.  Notwith- 
standing the  many  predictions  of  failure,  the  Missouri 
Gazette  prospered,  and  after  the  first  few  months  be- 
came self-sustaining.  The  name  was  afterward  changed 
to  the  Missouri  Republican,  and  still  later  it  became  the 
St.  Louis  Republic,  which  is  now  one  of  the  large  daily 
papers  of  the  city. 

On  November  9,  1809,  St.  Louis  was  incorporated  as 
a  town,  upon  the  petition  of  the  taxpayers,  under  the 
authority  of  an  act  of  the  Territory  of  Louisiana  passed 
the  year  before. 

As  is  usually  the  case  on  the  frontier,  Missouri  was 
for  some  time  the  abode  of  rough  and  lawless  men ; 
but  among  them  were  to  be  found  those  who  were  quiet 
and  honorable.  In  fact,  some  who  were  called  lawless 
were  honest  enough  in  their  own  way.  They  might 
not  hesitate  to  end  a  quarrel  in  bloodshed,  yet  at  the 
same  time  would  not  swindle  a  man  out  of  a  cent. 
Courts  were  held  irregularly  in  the  different  districts 
into  which  the  Territory  had  been  divided.  Real  estate 
had  increased  in  value,  and  the  claim  jumper,  squatter, 
and  land  pirate  had  already  appeared  on  the  scene. 
The  pistol  and  knife  were  often  resorted  to  in  the  set- 
tlement of  disputed  claims. 


8i 

Much  has  been  said  about  the  rough  character  of  the 
early  Missourians.  Some  of  it  is  false,  and  yet  a  great 
deal  is  true.  The  frontiersman  learned  to  depend  on  his 
rifle  to  supply  him  with  food  and  to  protect  his  home. 
Constantly  coming  in  contact  with  rude  men,  he  par- 
took of  their  nature.  Liable  at  any  time  to  be  shot  or 
stabbed,  he  learned  to  shoot  and  stab  on  his  own  account. 

Though  a  frontiersman  might  be  ever  so  agreeable 
and  pleasant  a  companion,  he  was  a  dangerous  person 
to  quarrel  with.  Lawsuits  and  disputes  over  conflicting 
claims  or  mining  rights  often  led  to  bloody  contests. 

There  lived  in  St.  Louis  about  the  year  1809  two 
men,  known  as  Colonel  S.  and  Mr.  P.  They  were  the 
best  of  friends.  Both  were  gentlemen,  as  Dickens  says, 
of  the  "  good  old  stock  "  ;  that  is,  if  we  take  the  stock  of 
a  century  ago  to  be  good. 

They  had  known  each  other  for  years,  and  had  never 
quarreled.  But  at  last  they  got  into  a  dispute  over  a 
mining  claim  located  in  the  Ste.  Genevieve  district. 
Colonel  S.  pondered  long  over  the  matter,  and  at  last 
made  up  his  mind  that  there  was  but  one  course  to  pur- 
sue. He  called  one  day  on  his  neighbor,  and,  finding 
him  alone,  said  in  his  coolest  manner,  "  Good  morning, 
Mr.  P." 

"Good  morning,  Colonel  S.  Pray  be  seated."  And 
the  man  handed  his  friend  a  chair. 

The  colonel  seated  himself,  and  a  serious  expression 
came  over  his  face  as  he  said,  "  Mr.  P.,  we  have  been 
friends  for  a  long  time  —  " 

"Yes,  Colonel,"  interrupted  Mr.  P.,  quietly.  "We 
have  long  been  friends." 

STO.  OF  MO.  —  6 


82 


"  And  I  feel  a  great  regret  that  any  misunderstanding 
should  have  arisen  between  us,"  resumed  the  colonel, 
wiping  his  troubled  face  with  his  handkerchief. 
"  So  do  I,  Colonel,  I  greatly  regret  it,"  put  in  Mr.  P. 
"  Here  we  are  entirely  alone,  and  there"  is  no  one  to 
interrupt  us.     Let  us  settle  the  matter  in  an  amicable 
way." 

"  Certainly,  certainly,"  assented  Mr.  P.,  before  whose 
vision  there  arose  a  plan  of  peaceful  adjustment  of 
their  difficulties. 

"  You  know  my  aversion  to  lawyers  and  their  quib- 
bles," continued  the  colonel.  "  I  have  here  a  couple 
of  friends  that  have  no  mistake  in  them."  Hereupon 
he  drew  a  brace  of  pistols  and  presented  their  butts  to 

his  friend.     "  Take  your 
choice  ;   they  are  both 
loaded    and    equally 
true." 

Mr.  P.  drew  back 
and    thanked    him 
kindly,  but  declined 
the  offer. 

"  Why,  my  dear 
Colonel,  I  would 
rather  lose  the 
whole  claim  than 
harm  a  hair  of  your 
head,"  he  said. 

"  So    would    I. 
Let  us  divide,  arbitrate, 
or  anything  you  wish." 


83 

Their  dispute  was  satisfactorily  settled,  and  blood- 
shed was  averted. 

Dueling  was  confined  to  what  were  called  gentlemen 
of  note,  politicians,  and  leaders  in  society.  It  was  at 
this  period  common  in  the  East  as  well  as  the  West. 
The  man  who  had  fought  a  duel,  though  he  might  be 
a  murderer,  was  a  sort  of  hero.  In  some  instances 
these  duelers  have  been  elevated  to  the  highest  posi- 
tions of  honor  and  trust.  There  was  some  excuse  for 
this  state  of  affairs  in  Missouri.  That  part  of  the 
country  still  felt  the  effect  of  French  influence,  and 
with  the  French  nation  dueling  has  not  even  yet  gone 
out  of  fashion. 

Mr.  Timothy  Flint,  a  New  England  clergyman, 
writes  the  following  about  the  people  of  Louisiana  at 
this  time ;  —  and  by  Louisiana  he  meant  what  is  now 
Missouri,  — 

"  It  is  true  there  are  many  worthless  people  here, 
and  the  most  worthless,  it  must  be  confessed,  are  from 
New  England.  It  is  true  there  are  gamblers,  and 
gougers,  and  outlaws ;  but  there  are  fewer  of  them 
than  from  the  nature  of  things  and  the  character  of 
the  age  and  the  world,  we  ought  to  expect.  I  have 
traveled  in  these  regions  thousands  of  miles,  under  all 
circumstances  of  exposure  and  danger,  and  this  too 
in  many  instances  where  I  was  not  known  to  be  a 
minister,  or  where  such  knowledge  would  have  had  no 
influence  in  protecting  me.  I  have  never  carried  the 
slightest  weapon  of  defense." 

Mr.  Flint  is  regarded  by  all  historians  as  the  most 
impartial  writer  concerning  the  people,  of  Louisiana 


84 

at  that  early  day.  His  travels  extended  over  nearly 
all  the  Mississippi  valley,  and  his  book  is  said  to  be 
the  best  description  of  the  people  west  of  the  Missis- 
sippi that  has  ever  been  published.  Mr.  Flint  draws 
a  fine  picture  of  the  backwoodsman  of  the  time  :  — 

"  He  is  generally  an  amiable  and  virtuous  man.  He 
has  vices  and  barbarisms  peculiar  to  his  situation.  His 
manners  are  rough.  He  wears,  it  may  be,  a  long 
beard.  He  has  a  great  quantity  of  bear  or  deer  skin 
wrought  into  his  household  establishment,  his  furniture, 
and  dress.  He  carries  a  knife  or  dirk  in  his  bosom, 
and  when  in  the  woods  has  his  rifle  at  his  back  and 
a  pack  of  dogs  at  his  heels.  An  Atlantic  stranger 
transferred  directly  from  one  of  our  cities  to  his 
door  would  recoil  from  the  encounter  with  him.  But 
remember  that  his  gun  and  his  dogs  are  among  his 
chief  means  of  support  and  profit.  Remember  that 
all  his  first  days  here  were  passed  in  dread  of  savages. 
Remember  that  he  still  encounters  them,  still  meets 
bears  and  panthers.  Enter  his  door  and  tell  him  you 
are  benighted,  and  wish  the  shelter  of  his  cabin  for 
the  night.  The  welcome  is  indeed  seemingly  un- 
gracious, — 

" '  I  reckon  you  can  stay,'  or  '  I  suppose  we  must 
let  you  stay.'  But  this  apparent  ungraciousness  is 
the  harbinger  of  every  kindness  he  can  bestow,  and 
every  comfort  his  cabin  can  afford.  Good  coffee, 
corn  bread  and  butter,  venison,  pork,  wild  and  tame 
fowls,  are  set  before  you.  His  wife,  timid,  silent,  re- 
served, but  constantly  attentive  to  your  comfort,  does 
not  sit  at  the  table  with  you,  but  like  the  wives  of 


85 

the  patriarchs  stands  and  attends  on  you.  You  are 
shown  the  best  bed  the  house  can  offer.  When  the 
kind  hospitality  has  been  afforded  you  as  long  as  you 
choose  to  stay,  and  when  you  depart,  and  speak  of 
your  bill,  you  are  most  commonly  told,  with  some  slight 
mark'  of  resentment,  that  they  '  don't  keep  tavern.' 
Even  the  flaxen-haired  children  will  turn  away  from 
your  money. 

"If  we  were  to  try  them  by  the  standard  of  New 
England  customs  and  opinions,  that  is  to  say,  the 
customs  of  a  people  under  entirely  different  circum- 
stances, there  would  be  things  in  the  picture  that 
would  strike  us  offensively.  They  care  little  about 
ministers,  and  less  about  paying  them.  They  are 
averse  to  all  and  even  the  most  necessary  restraints. 
They  are  destitute  of  the  forms  and  observances  of 
society  and  religion ;  but  they  are  sincere  and  kind 
without  professions,  and  have  a  coarse  but  substantial 
morality." 

Occasionally  in  the  older  counties  of  Missouri  may 
still  be  seen  one  of  the  quaint  little  cabins  of  these 
early  pioneers.  It  is  half  house  and  half  fortress.  A 
few  years  ago  some  of  the  old  French  houses,  plastered 
within  and  without,  were  still  standing  in  St.  Louis 
and  St.  Charles  counties.  Some  may  even  yet  be 
found,  a  monument  of  a  bygone  people  who  laid  the 
corner  stone  of  this  great  commonwealth. 


XIII. 
WESTERN   BOATMEN. 

UNDER  the  treaty  between  Great  Britain  and 
France,  and  still  later  between  Great  Britain  and 
Spain,  these  three  nations  were  to  have  free  use  of  the 
Mississippi  River.  English  boats  floated  down  the  Ohio 
into  the  Mississippi,  and  thence  to  New  Orleans.  From 
St.  Louis,  the  Spanish  and  French  boats  joined  the 
English,  and  often  a  dozen  of  the  barks  called  keel  boats 
would  glide  down  the  great  stream  together.  When 
the  thirteen  colonies  gained  their  independence,  England 
ceded  her  rights  over  the  river  to  the  new  nation. 

At  the  time  of  the  Louisiana  purchase,  a  class  of 
hardy  frontiersmen,  known  as  "boatmen,"  had  sprung 
into  existence.  These  were  men  who  earned  their  liv- 
ing by  working  on  the  boats  which  ran  up  and  down 
the  western  rivers ;  for  now  it  was  no  longer  the  cus- 
tom for  each  settler  to  take  his  own  produce  to  market. 
The  boatmen  were  brave  and  muscular,  but  rude  and 
uneducated ;  their  lives  were  full  of  toil  and  stirring 
adventure. 

Conspicuous  among  these  early  navigators  was  an 
Irish-American  named  Mike  Fink.  He  was  born  in 
Pittsburg,  and  we  first  hear  of  him  as  a  boatman  on  the 
Ohio,  where  he  became  famous  both  at  the  oar  and 

86 


87 

with   his   rifle.     He  was   made   the   hero  of   an   early 
romance,  and  songs  were  sung  in  his  praise. 

According  to  his  biographer,  he  was  "strong  as  an 
ox,  and  brave  as  a  lion."  He  was  said  to  be  the  best 
marksman  in  the  West ;  and  at  all  the  shooting  matches 
he  was  ruled  out  on  account  of  his  skill.  Though  the 
novelist  and  poejt  have  tried  to  cast  a  halo  of  romance 
about  Mike,  he  was,  like  many  other  heroes,  only  a 
cruel,  treacherous  bully. 


His  keel  boat  was  called  the  "  Light-foot,"  and  as  it 
glided  down  the  river  Fink  used  to  amuse  himself  by 
shooting  the  tails  off  from  pigs  on  the  shore,  without 
doing  them  any  other  harm.  He  had  a  friend  named 
Carpenter,  who  was  almost  as  fine  a  marksman  as  him- 
self. The  two  used  to  entertain  their  companions  by 
shooting  tin  cups  off  each  other's  head. 

Once,  while  on  a  trip  up  the  Mississippi  River,  Mike 
and  his  friend  quarreled,  but  "  made  up  "  ;  and  then,  to 
prove  their  friendship,  they  decided  to  indulge  in  the 


88 

tin  cup  amusement.  They  drew  lots  to  see  which 
should  have  the  first  shot,  and  the  lot  fell  to  Mike.  He 
fired,  and  Carpenter  fell  dead.  Mike  claimed  at  first 
that  it  was  an  accident,  and  among  the  boatmen  in  the 
wilderness  it  passed  as  such.  But  a  few  months  later 
he  declared  that  he  had  killed  Carpenter  on  purpose, 
and  was  glad  of  it.  A  man  named  Xalbot,  who  was  a 
friend  of  Carpenter,  heard  Fink's  boast,  and  shot  him 
dead  on  the  spot. 

There  were,  however,  very  few  such  boatmen  as 
Mike  Fink.  He  gained  a  reputation  for  cruelty  by 
which  he  is  remembered  to  this  day. 

The  keel  boats  of  this  time  were  similar  to  those  of 
the  earliest  settlers.  They  were  propelled  by  the  cur- 
rent, aided  by  sweeps,  when  going  down  the  stream, 
but  were  usually  "cordelled"  upstream,  though  sails 
were  sometimes  used.  Such  was  the  first  mode  of 
navigation  to  and  from  Missouri ;  and  for  many  years 
all  transportation  of  freight  was  done  either  in  this 
way,  or  by  means  of  pack  horses. 

There  were  two  methods  of  cordelling  a  boat  up  the 
stream.  Sometimes  one  end  of  a  long  rope  was  carried 
on  ahead  and  fastened  to  some  object  in  the  river  or  on 
shore,  and  the  crew  then  stood  in  the  bow  and  pro- 
pelled the  boat  by  pulling  on  the  rope.  The  usual 
method,  however,  was  for  the  crew  to  walk  along  the 
shore  and  pull  the  boat  after  them  as  canal  mules  do. 

There  is  an  amusing  story  told  of  an  Irishman  work- 
ing his  passage  up  the  Mississippi  in  a  keel  boat.  He 
was  at  Ste.  Genevieve,  and  wanted  to  go  to  St.  Louis. 
Learning  that  a  boat  was  going  up  the  river  to  that 


89 

place",  he  asked  the  captain  if  he  might  work  his  pas- 
sage. 

"  Certainly,"  said  the  captain,  who  stood  in  the  bow 
of  the  boat  with  a  long  pole  in  his  hand. 

The  Irishman  took  his  carpetbag  aboard.  When  all 
were  ready  to  start,  he  joined  the  crew  on  shore,  and, 
seizing  the  rope,  assisted  in  pulling  the  craft  upstream. 
After  two  or  three  miles  of  such  navigation  he  said, — 

"Faith,  if  it  wasn't  for  the  name  of  riding,  I'd  about 
as  soon  walk." 

Keel  boats  were  large  in  those  days.  They  had 
cabins,  and  carried  passengers  as  well  as  freight.  Men, 
women,  and  children  often  took  voyages  on  the  rivers 
in  these  rude  boats. 

A  man  who  started  down  the  Mississippi  in  a  keel 
boat,  which  was  wrecked  above  New  Madrid,  has  left 
an  account  of  the  disaster.  This  gentleman  had  under 
his  charge  a  cousin,  who  was  going  to  join  her  husband 
in  New  Orleans. 

"  One  dark,  rainy  night  our  boat  drifted  rapidly  down- 
stream with  the  current.  We  usually  'tied  up  along 
the  shore '  on  very  dark  nights,  but  our  captain,  who 
was  also  pilot,  declared  he  could  steer  in  the  darkest 
night  that  ever  came. 

"  Most  of  the  passengers  had  retired  to  their  cabins 
and  were  asleep,  when  suddenly  there  came  a  crash 
which  sent  me  out  of  my  berth  on  to  the  floor.  I 
sprang  to  my  feet,  and  my  first  thought  was  of  Nancy 
(the  lady  under  my  charge).  I  ran  to  her  cabin  and 
found  her  up  and  dressed,  and  not  nearly  so  badly 
frightened  as  I  had  feared  she  would  be. 


90 

"  '  What  has  happened  ? '  she  asked. 

"  '  The  boat  has  struck  a  snag,  and  may  sink.  Stay 
right  here  until  I  come  for  you.' 

"Then  I  went  on  deck,  where  all  was  confusion. 
There  were  twelve  or  fifteen  passengers  there,  running 
about  like  mad  people. 

"  The  most  excited  of  all  were  five  men  from  St. 
Louis.  They  had  dragged  their  trunks  and  carpet- 
bags to  the  deck,  and  were  calling  for  a  skiff  or  yawl 
to  take  them  ashore.  All  the  captain  and  mate  could 
do  or  say  to  quiet  them  was  in  vain.  Three  or  four 
lanterns  were  lighted,  and  served  to  increase  the  terror 
of  all  by  revealing  the  black,  turbid  waters  into  which 
we  were  sinking. 

"The  men  who  had  brought  their  trunks  on  deck 
seized  one  of  the  yawls,  leaped  in  with  their  baggage, 
before  any  one  could  prevent  them,  and  pulled  to  shore, 
which  the  flashes  of  lightning  showed  was  not  more 
than  thirty  yards  away. 

"About  the  time  they  landed  with  their  baggage,  I 
observed  that  the  boat  began  to  rock  just  like  a  basin 
sinking  in  shallow  water.  The  captain  noticed  this 
also,  and  shouted,— 

"  '  You  are  all  safe.  The  boat  is  on  a  sand  bar,  and 
can't  sink.' 

"  In  fact,  one  of  the  crew  had  cast  the  lead  line  a 
moment  before,  and  had  discovered  that  we  were  in 
only  about  five  feet  of  water.  In  a  moment  our  keel 
settled  on  the  sand  bar,  with  the  deck  and  cabins  two 
feet  above  water.  I  went  back  to  Nancy,  who  was 
anxiously  awaiting  my  return. 


"  '  What  shall  we  do  ? '  she  asked. 

" '  Go  to  bed  and  sleep  until  morning,'  I  answered. 

"  She  did  so.  It  rained  all  night.  It  was  one  of 
those  cold,  disagreeable  rains  that  make  one  shiver, 
and  one's  bones  ache.  Next  morning  we  saw  five  or 
six  wet,  miserable  wretches  sitting  on  the  bank,  shiver- 
ing, and  begging  the  captain  to  take  them  on  board. 

"They  were  the  selfish  cowards  who  would  have 
escaped  with  their  luggage  and  left  the  remainder  of 
us  to  drown.  Their  haste  to  get  on  land  was  so  great 
that  they  forgot  to  moor  the  yawl  in  which  they  went 
ashore,  and  it  had  floated  away. 

"  Though  the  captain  had  another,  he  would  not  send 
for  them,  and  left  them  all  night  in  the  rain.  But  soon 
after  daylight  he  sent  and  brought  them  all  on  board. 

"  Our  boat  had  struck  a  snag  which  knocked  a  hole 
in  the  bottom ;  but  fortunately,  after  striking,  we  came 
immediately  to  such  shallow  water  that  we  could  not  sink. 

"We  lived  in  this  grounded  boat  for  over  a  week 
before  another  keel  boat  came  and  took  us  down  the 
river  to  our  journey's  end." 

The  dangers  of  wind  and  wave  were  not  all  that  the 
daring  boatmen  had  to  encounter.  The  wild  shores 
were  inhabited  by  hostile  savages,  who  often  attacked 
them. 

"  Many  a  time  I  have  helped  cordelle  a  boat  up- 
stream, expecting  every  moment  to  be  shot  down  by 
an  ambushed  savage,"  said  an  old  keel-boatman. 
"  Often  I  have  seen  the  man  before  me  drop  by  a 
shot  fired  from  the  bushes,  and  have  felt  the  wind 
of  the  Indians'  bullets  on  my  face. 


92 

"Once,  as  we  were  cordelling  our  boat  up  the  Mis- 
souri, the  captain  had  just  called  out,  '  Hand  over 
hand,'  which  means  to  take  up  the  slack  on  the  rope, 
and  pull  closer  to  shore.  Just  then  there  came  the 
crack  of  a  gun  from  the  bushes  up  the  bank,  and  Joe 
Fugate,  next  before  me,  went  down. 

"  '  All  aboard  ! '  shouted  the  captain ;  and  he  shoved 
the  bow  in  to  within  six  feet  of  shore.  By  this  time 
the  Indians'  bullets  from  the  hill  were  whistling  like 
hail  about  us.  Two  of  the  boys  carried  Joe  to  the 
boat,  and  we  all  got  on.  Joe  was  laid  in  a  comforta- 
ble place,  for  he  was  badly  hurt,  and  the  rest  of  us  ran 
for  our  guns,  while  the  boat  was  pushed  out  into  the 
current. 

"  We  always  carried  our  guns  strapped  on  our  backs 
when  we  thought  there  was  danger;  but  this  attack 
was  a  complete  surprise.  Seizing  my  rifle,  I  fired  at 
an  Indian  who  was  running  down  the  steep  bank 
toward  us,  and  missed.  Two  more  fired,  and  he  fell. 

"  The  hillside  was  now  alive  with  shouting  and  yell- 
ing savages.  Our  boat  reached  the  middle  of  the 
stream  and  drifted  down,  the  Indians  all  the  while 
running  along  the  shore  and  pouring  in  a  continual 
fire.  Two  more  of  our  crew  were  wounded.  We 
had  drifted  down  about  half  a  mile,  when  we  ran 
upon  a  sand  bar  within  rifle  range  of  the  shore. 

"The  savages,  supposing  that  they  had  their  prey 
secure,  gave  utterance  to  the  most  appalling  yells  I 
ever  heard.  They  came  down  to  the  water's  edge, 
and,  lying  down  on  the  sand,  poured  a  continuous 
rain  of  bullets  into  us. 


93 


"We  knew  that  unless  we  could  get  off  the  bar 
we  should  be  compelled  to  surrender,  for  our  ammu- 
nition would  soon  be  exhausted,  and  then  the  Indians 
would  swim  to  us,  and  come  aboard  our  boat. 

"  Four  of  us  volunteered  to  leap  into  the  water  and 
push  the  boat  off  the  bar.  We  leaped  in  on  the  oppo- 
site side  from  the  Indians,  and 
keeping  under  as  much  as  pos- 
sible, we  crawled  around  to 
the  bow,  placed  our  shoul- 
ders against  the  boat, 
and  lifted  and  pushed 
until  I  thought  I  could 
see  stars.  At  last  the 
boat  broke  ground 
and  drifted  away 
into  deep  water,  leav- 
ing us  four  behind. 
One  of  the  men,  named 
Joe  Sapp,  could  not 
swim  a  stroke.  The 
Indians'  bullets  were  whiz- 
zing thick  as  bees  about  our 
heads,  and  we  decided  that  we  must  somehow  get  to 
the  boat. 

"  Bennet  and  Briggs,  who  were  strong  swimmers, 
told  Sapp  to  place  a  hand  on  the  back  of  each,  and 
hold  to  them,  and  they  would  carry  him  to  the  boat. 
They  did  so.  I  followed  after  them,  and  we  all  climbed 
on  board. 

"  The  Indians  followed  us  for  seven  miles  down  the 


94 

stream,  keeping  up  a  continuous  fire.  Though  we  had 
none  killed,  we  had  five  men  wounded,  and  were  de- 
layed two  weeks  at  Franklin  before  we  could  proceed 
up  the  river." 

The  savages  often  captured  and  robbed  the  boats  on 
their  way  down  or  on  their  return  up  the  river.  Many 
artifices  were  resorted  to  in  order  to  draw  the  boats  in 
to  shore. 

Once  a  St.  Louis  keel  boat  bound  for  New  Orleans 
was  drifting  down  the  stream,  when  a  man  was  seen 
on  shore  making  frantic  signals  for  it  to  land  and 
take  him  on  board.  He  wore  a  hat  slouched  over  his 
eyes,  and  as  he  sat  on  the  bank  he  kept  dipping  his 
hand  into  the  water,  apparently  washing  a  wound  on 
his  face. 

The  keel  boat  began  to  put  in  to  shore,  when  one  of 
the  crew  said,  — 

"  Maybe  it  is  a  trick  to  decoy  us." 

"  How  ? " 

"  It  may  be  an  Indian  in  white  men's  clothes." 

"  I  have  a  spyglass  in  my  cabin.  I  will  get  it  and 
see,"  said  the  captain. 

When  he  had  leveled  his  glass  on  the  person  on 
shore,  he  saw  a  dark  hand  in  the  water,  and  a  mo- 
ment later  the  head  was  raised  so  that  he  could  see  the 
face.  Sure  enough,  it  was  an  Indian  in  the  clothes  of 
a  white  man. 

Then,  turning  his  glass,  the  captain  discovered  heads 
and  rifle  barrels  peeping  out  from  behind  the  bushes 
and  trees.  He  ordered  the  man  at  the  helm  to  turn  the 
prow  toward  the  opposite  shore,  and  the  sweeps  were 


95 

manned.     The  boat  glided  over  to  the  other  side  of  the 
stream  and  escaped  the  trap  set  for  it. 

The  danger,  toil,  and  hardships  of  the  western  boat- 
man were  numerous,  yet  there  was  a  peculiar  fasci- 
nation about  the  life  which  caused  many  to  adopt  it. 
These  men  played  an  important  part  in  the  settlement 
of  Missouri.  But  the  magic  influence  of  steam  has 
done  away  with  the  keel-boat  system,  and  that  brave, 
hardy  race,  once  familiar  in  every  river  town,  has  passed 
away. 


XIV. 
THE   BLOCKHOUSE   AT   THE   BIG   SPRING. 

THERE  is  in  St.  Louis  County  a  place  known  as  the 
Big  Spring.  Soon  after  the  territory  was  pur- 
chased by  the  United  States,  a  few  families  from 
Virginia  and  Kentucky  settled  near  it.  Their  num- 
bers increased  until  quite  a  settlement  grew  up. 

The  Osages,  Pottawatomies,  and  Iowa  Indians  fre- 
quently came  down  the  river  in  canoes  to  annoy  the 
settlers  at  this  place.  They  would  come  in  small  thiev- 
ing bands,  and  plunder  indiscriminately.  This  annoy- 
ance, together  with  the  alarm  felt  over  the  fate  of 
Bouvet  and  the  killing  of  others,  caused  the  people  at 
the  Big  Spring  to  build  a  blockhouse. 

Blockhouses  were  not  all  alike.  This  one  was  made 
of  logs,  as  usual,  but  the  second  story  was  laid  corner- 
wise  on  the  first,  so  that  ports  could  be  made  to  cover 
not  only  the  sides,  but  the  corners  as  well.  The  port- 
holes were  not  over  a  foot  square,  and  were  provided 
with  blocks  of  wood  with  which  they  could  be  plugged 
up  after  the  riflemen  had  fired,  in  order  to  make  the 
people  secure  while  they  were  reloading. 

Rumors  of  Indians  in  the  vicinity  very  much  alarmed 
the  settlers  at  the  Big  Spring,  and  a  request  was  sent 
to  St.  Louis  for  soldiers  to  guard  the  blockhouse. 

96 


97 

Twenty  privates  under  a  lieutenant  were  accordingly 
detailed  for  this  duty. 

The  presence  of  the  garrison,  instead  of  allaying 
the  fears  of  the  people,  increased  them.  The  soldiers 
seemed  to  be  positive  evidence  of  danger. 

There  was  in  the  blockhouse  a  timid  young  lady 
named  Fugate,  who,  unlike  most  frontier  girls,  was 
subject  to  fainting  fits.  She  supposed  that  the  sol- 
diers would  know  all  about  the  Indians,  and  that  they 
were  the  proper  persons  to  appeal  to  for  information. 
Timidly  approaching  the  sentry  on  duty,  she  asked,  — 

"  Do  you  think  we  are  in  any  danger,  Mr.  Soldier?" 

The  sentry,  in  a  spirit  of  mischief,  answered, 
"Shouldn't  be  surprised,  madam,  if  we  weren't  all 
dead  before  morning." 

With  a  shriek,  Miss  Fugate  swooned,  and  was  carried 
to  her  room.  During  the  night  she  suffered  from 
hysterics,  and  her  friends  feared  she  would  die  of 
fright.  The  anxiety  and  dread  of  the  people  in  the 
fort  were  so  great  that  they  slept  little. 

Several  days  passed,  and,  as  no  Indians  appeared, 
the  soldiers  returned  to  St.  Louis,  while  the  people 
went  back  to  their  homes  and  resumed  the  work  on 
their  farms. 

One  morning,  two  settlers  named  Clark  and  Bed- 
dington,  while  going  to  the  river,  were  astonished  to 
see  half  a  dozen  canoes  filled  with  Indians  paddling 
in  to  shore.  They  at  once  hurried  back  to  the  settle- 
ment and  warned  everybody  that  they  saw. 

"Go  to  the  blockhouse,  run  to  the  blockhouse;  the 
Indians  are  coming !  "  was  the  general  cry.  Two  or 

STO.  OF  MO.  —  7 


98 

three  settlers  lived  more  than 
a  mile   away,    and   a  boy 
was  mounted  on  a  horse 
and  dispatched  for  them. 
Before     the     Indians 
reached  the   Big  Spring 
settlement,     the     whites 
were    all   within   the 
; ;      blockhouse,  and  had 
:,     most  of  their  live  stock 
within  an  inclosure  suf- 
ficiently near  to  protect 
them.      There    are    con- 
flicting reports  as  to  the 
number  of  the  attacking 
force.     Some  say  there 
were  but  sixteen,  others 
say  there  were  thirty- 
two,  while  still  others  put  the  number  at  sixty. 

The  Indians  had  expected  to  surprise  the  white 
people,  and  had  planned  to  leave  the  country  as  soon 
as  they  had  taken  a  few  scalps  and  had  stolen  such 
property  as  they  could  conveniently  lay  their  hands 
on.  It  was  a  great  disappointment  to  find  the  intended 
victims  in  their  stronghold. 

The  blockhouse  was  in  a  grove  of  trees,  and  the 
savages,  taking  shelter  behind  these,  opened  fire. 
The  shots  were  returned,  and  for  a  while  the  volleys 
made  it  seem  as  if  a  battle  were  raging. 

Most  of  the  women  were  as  cool  as  the  men,  and 
stood  by,  molding  bullets  and  loading  guns.  But 


99 

Miss  Fugate  was  no  pioneer.  The  crack  of  rifles 
shattered  her  nerves,  and  after  swooning  two  or  three 
times  she  became  frantic  with  hysterics. 

No  one  within  the  blockhouse  was  killed,  and  but 
two  or  three  were  wounded,  and  those  not  seriously. 
It  is  not  known  if  any  of  the  Indians  were  killed. 
None  were  found  after  the  fight,  but  the  savages  had 
a  way  of  carrying  off  their  dead  and  wounded.  In 
connection  with  this  attack,  there  is  a  story  told  which 
illustrates  the  cunning  of  the  Indians.  A  boy  saw  a 
savage  creeping  through  the  bushes  and  tall  grass  on 
the  south  side  in  order  to  get  into  a  better  position. 
He  fired,  and  the  Indian  fell. 

"  I've  killed  one  of  them !  I've  killed  one  of 
them  ! "  the  lad  shouted  joyfully. 

An  old  hunter  named  Crow,  who  thoroughly  under- 
stood the  tricks  of  the  wily  red  man,  said,  — 

"  Don't  be  too  sure,  Jess.  Watch  him  until  I  get 
my  gun  loaded." 

"What  are  you  going  to  do?"  the  boy  asked,  when 
he  saw  Mr.  Crow  aiming  at  the  fallen  brave.  "  Don't 
go  to  wasting  lead  on  a  dead  Indian." 

"Wait  and  see,"  was  all  the  answer  that  the  old 
hunter  made. 

The  Indian  lay  in  the  grass  so  that  only  a  part  of 
one  shoulder  was  visible.  The  white  man  aimed  at 
that  part  and  fired.  The  fallen  brave  leaped  to  his 
feet  with  a  yell  of  pain,  and,  clapping  his  hand  to  his 
wounded  shoulder,  ran  howling  away. 

"There  goes  your  dead  Indian,"  said  Mr.  Crow,  with 
a  laugh. 


100 


After  that,  whenever  the  boy  was  inclined  to  boast 
of  his  skill  with  a  rifle,  he  was  silenced  by  some  one 
asking  if  he  had  not  slain  an  Indian  at  the  blockhouse. 

Finding  it  impossible  to  capture  the  white  men's 
stronghold  by  storm,  and  fearing  reinforcements  from 
St.  Louis,  the  Indians,  after  killing  some  cows  and 
hogs  in  the  woods,  hurried  to  their  canoes  and  pad- 
dled up  the  river.  The  blockhouse  was  never  again 
attacked. 


XV. 
THE   LEWIS   AND   CLARK   EXPEDITION. 

JUST  before  the  transfer  of  Louisiana  to  the  United 
States,  in  1803,  President  Jefferson  was  preparing 
to  send  out  an  exploring  expedition  into  the  territory 
which  now  comprises  the  northwestern  part  .of  the 
United  States.  Beyond  Indian  tradition,  that  region 
was  then  unknown. 

The  President's  suggestions  had  been  approved  by 
Congress,  and  in  January,  1803,  he  commissioned  Cap- 
tains Meriwether  Lewis  and  William  Clark  to  explore 
the  Missouri  River  and  its  principal  branches  to  their 
fountain  heads.  They  were  then  to  seek  and  trace  to 
its  termination  in  the  Pacific,  some  stream  which  might 
give  the  most  direct  and  practicable  water  communica- 
tion across  the  continent,  for  purposes  of  navigation. 

At  that  time  railroads  were  unknown,  and  navigable 
streams  were  the  only  means  by  which  commerce  could 
be  extensively  carried  on. 

The  expedition  of  Lewis  and  Clark  was  of  the  utmost 
importance  to  Missouri.  It  resulted  in  a  definite  knowl- 
edge of  the  great  West,  and  in  the  subsequent  push- 
ing of  settlements  and  trading  posts  farther  into  the 
interior. 

Shortly  after  Lewis  and  Clark  received  their  orders, 

101 


IO2 

the  news  of  the  conclusion  of  the  Louisiana  purchase 
reached  the  United  States.  In  May,  1804,  these  two 
officers  came  to  St.  Louis  with  thirty  soldiers,  a  number 
of  guides,  and  all  the  necessary  supplies.  Boats  suita- 
ble for  the  long  journey  were  constructed.  They  were 
of  a  peculiar  make,  long  and  narrow,  strong  and  light, 
and  capable  of  floating  in  shallow  water.  They  were 
provided  with  sweeps,  and  with  light  masts  which  could 
be  taken  down  when  not  needed.  The  best  workmen 
obtainable  were  employed  in  their  construction,  and  few 
boats  have  had  greater  care  expended  on  them. 

The  work  was  pushed  forward  so  rapidly  that  the 
expedition  was  ready  before  the  end  of  the  month. 
Then,  on  the  day  set  for  its  departure,  the  whole  town 
of  St.  Louis  turned  out  to  see  the  bold  explorers  start ; 
for  their  journey  was  to  take  them  thousands  of  miles 
through  the  wilderness. 

It  was  one  of  the  most  hazardous  undertakings  of 
the  time,  and  it  required  men  of  great  courage  and 
strength.  The  party  was  made  up  of  picked  men, 
inured  to  the  privations  and  dangers  of  the  West.  Yet 
many  thought,  when  the  little  party  started,  that  it 
would  never  return.  Not  only  were  hostile  Indians  to 
be  met,  but  there  were  a  thousand  other  dangers  to 
be  confronted  in  the  great  wilderness. 

As  the  boats  glided  under  easy  sail  up  the  broad 
bosom  of  the  Mississippi,  a  salute  was  fired  from  the 
fort,  handkerchiefs  were  waved,  and  the  people  along 
the  shore  gave  them  many  hearty  cheers. 

When  they  entered  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri,  navi- 
gation became  more  difficult.  This  river  is  narrower 


103 

and  more  crooked  than  the  Mississippi,  and  the  current 
is  much  swifter.  The  explorers  were  compelled,  for  the 
most  part,  either  to  depend  upon  their  sweeps,  or  else  to 
cordelle  their  boats  along  the  river  banks,  both  of  which 
ways  were  slow  and  toilsome. 

The  party  reached  St.  Charles,  and  rested  one  day. 
This  was  the  last  landmark  of  civilization.  Beyond,  all 
was  a  dense  and  unexplored  wilderness. 

Slowly  up  the  dark  stream  the  boats  glided,  day  after 
day.  All  signs  of  frontier  settlements  gave  way  to 
great  forests,  hills,  and  prairies.  Sometimes  there  were 
towering  bluffs  on  each  side  of  the  stream  ;  sometimes 
level  tracts  of  forests,  and  sometimes  vast  bottoms 
covered  with  tall  wild  grass.  Occasionally,  a  deer 
forced  its  way  through  the  mass  of  tall  grass  and 
tangled  bushes  and  vines,  and  paused  on  the  bank  to 
gaze  on  the  strange  procession  that  was  passing  up  the 
stream. 

On  June  7,  1804,  the  explorers  reached  the  mouth  of 
Bonne  Femme  Creek  (Good  Woman  Creek)  in  Howard 
County,  a  few  miles  below  where  the  city  of  Boonville 
now  stands.  Being  considerably  wearied  with  their 
journey,  they  did  not  move  their  camp  all  next  day, 
but  explored  the  river  bottom  as  far  back  as  the^  mouth 
of  the  Moniteau,  a  stream  that  empties  into  the  Mis- 
souri at  the  southeastern  corner  of  Howard  County. 

At  this  place  there  was  a  lofty  bluff  and  a  projecting 
point  of  rocks.  These  were  covered  with  those  strange 
and  mysterious  hieroglyphic  Indian  paintings  which 
have  baffled  all  interpretation. 

While  Clark  was  climbing  up  a  rocky  ledge  in  order 


IO4 


to  examine  the  paint- 
ings more  minutely,  a 
singing  rattle  warned 
him  of  danger;  turn- 
ing, he  discovered  a 
large  rattlesnake   ly- 
ing   coiled    up    on    a 
shelf  of   rock  within 
six   or  eight   feet   of 
him.      With    a    stout 
stick,    he   struck   the 
reptile    a    blow    that 
crushed  its  neck.  The 
noise    of    the    stroke 
seemed  to  rouse  a  whole 
colony    of   rattlesnakes.      From 
crevices   in    the    rock,    from    behind 
stones,  and  among  bushes  there  started 
up  such  an  army  of  them  that  Clark  and 
those  with  him   gave  up  all  thought  of 
further   investigation,    and,    retreating    hurriedly 
down  the  bluff,  returned  to  their  camp. 

Next  day  they  resumed  their  toilsome  journey  up 
the  Missouri.  They  traveled  through  the  heart  of 
the  State,  and  along  the  northwestern  border.  Sixteen 
hundred  miles  from  St.  Louis,  they  went  into  winter 
quarters  among  the  Mandan  Indians.  In  April  of  the 
next  year,  they  passed  the  mouth  of  the  Yellowstone 
River.  Crossing  the  Rocky  Mountains,  they  entered 
the  head  waters  of  the  Columbia,  and  floated  down  that 
stream  to  its  mouth  in  the  Pacific.  They  spent  the 


winter  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Columbia,  and  in  the 
spring  set  out  on  their  homeward  journey. 

In  September,  1806,  Lewis  and  Clark  arrived  with 
their  party  in  St.  Louis,  after  an  absence  of  over 
two  years,  during  which  they  had  traveled  more  than 
eight  thousand  miles.  On  their  return,  two  of  the 
guides,  named  Colter  and  Potts,  obtained  permission  to 
remain  on  the  Missouri  and  trap  for  beaver.  Knowing 
the  hostility  of  the  Indians,  they  used  to  put  out  their 
traps  at  night,  and  take  them  up  in  the  morning, 
remaining  concealed  during  the  day. 

Early  one  morning,  they  were  ascending  a  creek  to 
examine  their  traps,  when  they  heard  a  noise  like  the 
tramping  of  wild  animals. 

"  That  noise  was  made  by  Indians,  and  we  had  better 
retreat,"  said  Colter. 

"Oh,  it  was  a  herd  of  buffalo,"  declared  Potts. 
"Come,  don't  be  a  coward." 

They  proceeded  up  the  creek,  but  had  not  gone  two 
hundred  yards  when  four  or  five  hundred  Indians 
appeared  on  the  banks,  and  began  to  beckon  them  to 
come  on  shore. 

As  retreat  was  impossible,  Colter  turned  the  head  of 
the  canoe  in  to  shore.  The  moment  the  craft  touched 
the  bank,  an  Indian  seized  the  gun  belonging  to  Potts. 
Colter,  who  was  a  very  strong  man,  took  it  away  from 
him  and  gave  it  back  to  Potts,  who  had  remained  in  the 
canoe.  On  receiving  the  gun,  Potts  pushed  off  into  the 
stream,  but  he  had  scarcely  left  the  shore  when  an 
arrow  struck  him. 

"  Colter,  I  am  wounded,"  he  cried. 


io6 

"  Don't  try  to  escape,  but  come  back  to  shore,"  said 
his  comrade. 

Instead  of  taking  this  advice,  Potts  leveled  his  gun  at 
the  Indian  who  had  wounded  him,  and  shot  the  savage 
dead.  In  a  moment,  he  was  pierced  by  a  dozen  arrows, 
and  expired.  The  Indians  then  seized  Colter,  stripped 
him  entirely  naked,  and  began  to  consult  on  the  manner 
in  which  they  should  put  him  to  death.  Some  favored 
tying  him  up  as  a  target,  and  shooting  him  to  death 
with  their  arrows. 

The  chief  finally  came  to  Colter,  and,  placing  his 
hand  on  the  captive's  shoulder,  asked  him  if  he  could 
run  fast.  The  white  man,  who  understood  some  of  the 
Indian  language,  answered  that  he  was  a  very  poor 
runner.  The  truth  was,  he  was  considered  remarkably 
swift  by  the  hunters  who  knew  him. 

The  chief  commanded  his  warriors  to  remain  where 
they  were,  and  led  Colter  out  on  the  prairie  three  or 
four  hundred  yards.  Then  he  released  the  captive, 
bidding  him  save  himself  if  he  could.  At  that  instant 
the  war  whoop  sounded  behind  him,  and,  impelled  by 
the  hope  of  saving  his  life,  he  ran  with  a  speed  that  sur- 
prised himself.  Before  him  lay  a  prairie  about  six 
miles  across,  and  beyond  this  was  a  heavy  forest  which 
bordered  the  banks  of  a  stream.  Colter  felt  that  if  he 
could  reach  the  forest  he  would  be  safe. 

When  about  halfway  across  the  prairie,  he  ventured 
to  glance  back  over  his  shoulder,  and  saw  that  the 
Indians  were  much  scattered.  He  had  gained  on  the 
most  of  them,  but  one  who  carried  a  spear  was  not  more 
than  a  hundred  yards  behind  him.  With  confidence  in 


ID/ 

the  possibility  of  escape,  he  increased  his  speed  to  the 
utmost.  So  great  were  his  exertions,  that  the  blood 
gushed  from  his  nostril  and  soon  almost  covered  the 
front  of  his  body. 

When  within  a  mile  of  the  river,  Colter  heard  the 
sound  of  footsteps  behind  him.  Glancing  back,  he  saw 
the  savage  not  twenty  yards  away.  He  stopped  sud- 
denly, turned  around,  and  spread  out  his  arms.  The 
Indian,  surprised  at  the  action  of  Colter,  and  at  the 
bloody  appearance  of  his  body,  tried  to  stop  and  throw 
his  spear.  But  he  stumbled  and  fell,  his  spear  sticking 
into  the  ground  and  breaking  off  in  his  hand. 

Colter  seized  the  pointed  part  of  the  weapon,  pinned 
the  savage  to  the  earth,  and  then  continued  his  flight. 
He  reached  the  creek,  plunged  in,  and  concealed  him- 
self under  a  pile  of  driftwood,  with  his  body  submerged 
in  the  water.  The  Indians  were  soon  all  over  the  drift, 
searching  for  him,  but  he  remained  in  his  hiding  place  all 
day.  At  night,  naked  and  unarmed  as  he  was,  he  came 
out  and  started  off  to  seek  white  people.  For  seven 
days  he  traveled,  subsisting  on  wild  berries  and  roots 
which  he  dug  out  of  the  earth  with  his  hands. 

White  people  were  reached  at  last,  and  he  was  saved. 


XVI. 
PIKE   IN   NORTHEAST   MISSOURI. 

ABOUT  the  time  that  President  Jefferson  appointed 
Lewis  and  Clark  to  explore  the  Missouri,  Lieuten- 
ant Zebulon  Pike,  for  whom  Pikes  Peak  is  named,  was 
appointed  to  explore  the  upper  Mississippi. 

In  the  afternoon  of  Friday,  August  9,  1805,  Lieuten- 
ant Pike  left  St.  Louis  in  a  keel  boat  seventy  feet  long, 
with  provisions  for  four  months.  He  was  accompanied 
by  a  crew,  one  sergeant,  seventeen  privates,  and  one  in- 
terpreter. This  was  the  first  expedition  up  the  Missis- 
sippi that  was  sent  out  by  the  United  States  govern- 
ment. 

In  1810,  Lieutenant  Pike  published  a  little  book  de- 
scribing his  journey  into  northeast  Missouri.  Although 
only  twenty-five  years  of  age,  he  had  the  wisdom  of  a 
much  older  man.  He  kept  a  diary  in  which  was  a  care- 
ful record  of  every  incident  of  the  journey,  even  to 
catching  a  few  fish  or  losing  a  dog. 

On  August  15,  1805,  he  passed  the  mouth  of  Salt 
River,  where  he  says  he  "left  another  dog."  The 
Indian  name  of  Salt  River  was  Auhahah  or  Oahahah. 
Pike  gives  us  in  his  diary  a  brief  description  of  this 
and  the  neighboring  rivers  as  they  then  appeared. 

"  Salt  River  bears  from  the  Mississippi  north  75° 

1 08 


109 

west,  and  is  about  one  hundred  or  one  hundred  and 
twenty  yards  wide  at  its  entrance.  When  I  passed,  it 
appeared  to  be  perfectly  mild,  with  scarcely  any  cur- 
rent. About  one  day's  sail  up  the  river,  there  are  salt 
springs,  which  have  been  worked  for  four  years ;  but  I 
am  not  informed  as  to  their  qualities  or  productions. 
In  this  distance,  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi  is 
very  much  obstructed  by  bars  and  islands ;  indeed,  to 
such  a  degree  as  to  render  it  difficult  to  find  (in  many 
places)  a  proper  channel.  The  shores  are  generally  a 
sandy  soil,  timbered  with  sugar  maple,  ash,  pecan, 
locust,  and  black  walnut. 

"The  east  side  has  generally  the  preference  as  to 
situations  for  building.  From  this  to  the  river  Jauflione 
(which  is  our  boundary  between  the  Sac  Nation  and  the 
United  States  on  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi)  we 
have  the  hills  on  the  west  shore,  and  the  lowlands  on 
the  east,  the  latter  of  which  are  timbered  with  hickory, 
oak,  ash,  maple,  pecan,  etc. ;  the  former  the  same  with 
an  increase  of  oak.  The  east  is  a  rich  sandy  soil,  and 
has  many  eligible  situations  for  cultivation. 

"About  seven  miles  below  the  Jauflione  a  Frenchman 
is  settled  on  the  west  shore.  He  is.  married  to  a  woman 
of  the  Sac  Nation,  and  lives  by  a  little  cultivation  and 
the  Indian  trade. 

"The  river  before  mentioned  is  about  thirty  yards 
wide  at  its  mouth,  and  bears  from  the  Mississippi  about 
southwest.  In  this  part  the  river  navigation  is  good. 
From  this  to  the  Wyaconda  River  the  navigation  is 
easy,  with  very  few  impediments,  and  the  soil  on  both 
sides  is  pretty  good.  This  river  pays  its  tribute  to  the 


no 


Mississippi  by  a  mouth  one  hundred  yards  wide,  and 
bears  from  the  latter  nearly  due  west.  Just  below  its 
entrance  is  a  small  stream  fifteen  yards  wide  which 
discharges  itself  into  the  Mississippi." 

The  Frenchman  with  the  Indian  wife,  whom  Pike 
mentioned,  was  living  in  Marion  County,  Missouri,  and 
was  no  doubt  the  first  white  settler  in  that  part  of  the 
State.  Pike  wrote  of  him,  — 

"  His  cattle  were  in  fine  order,  but  his 
corn  was  in  a  bad  state  of  cultivation. 
About  one  mile  above  his  house,  on  the 
west  shore,  is  a  very  handsome 
hill,  which  he  (the  Frenchman) 
informed  me  is  level  on 
the  top,  with  a  gradual 
descent  on  either  side, 
and  a  fountain  of  fine 
water.  This  man  like- 
wise told  me  that  two 
men  had  been  killed  on 
the  Big  Bay  or  Three 
Brothers,  and  he  desired  to  be 
informed  what  measures  had  been 
taken  in  consequence  thereof.  We  encamped  four 
miles  above  his  house." 

Next  day  the  party  made  thirty-nine  miles  without 
any  incident  worthy  of  special  mention,  except  pass- 
ing three  batea,2ix,  probably  belonging  to  trappers  and 
traders.  The  day  following  they  were  fired  on  by  some 
Indians  on  the  Illinois  shore,  and  were  driven  over  to 
the  Missouri  side.  On  the  iQth.an  accident  happened 


Ill 

to  their  boat  which  delayed  them  so  that  they  made  but 
fourteen  miles  that  day.  Next  day  they  reached  the 
Des  Moines  rapids  and  were  beyond  Missouri. 

The  stream  called  by  Pike  the  Jauflione  was  after- 
wards known  as  the  Jefferion,  and  is  now  called  the 
Fabius.  No  stream  in  Missouri  has  been  known  by 
more  names.  Some  old  writers  call  it  the  Geoffrion, 
and  one  authority  is  of  the  opinion  that  its  original 
name  was  Javelot.  The  last  is  a  French  word  signify- 
ing a  spear,  and  doubtless  the  Indian  name  was  of  the 
same  meaning. 

The  name  Fabius  is  said  to  be  derived  from  a  Spanish 
word  meaning  a  pea  or  bean.  When  the  stream  was 
discovered,  a  great  quantity  of  wild  peas  grew  along 
its  banks. 

In  time  the  south  fork  of  the  stream  was  called  the 
Little  Fabba,  and  many  old  settlers  in  Missouri  still 
speak  of  the  two  streams  as  the  Fabbas. 

Their  wooded  shores  became  historic  during  the  Civil 
War.  They  afforded  hiding  places  for  the  partisan 
soldiery  of  the  Confederate  army,  and  many  a  hot 
skirmish  was  fought  along  their  banks. 


XVII. 

CAPTAIN    COLE.  — A    PLUCKY   FRENCH- 
WOMAN. 

FT  ARLY  in  the  history  of  St.  Charles  County,  prepa- 
L*  rations  were  made  for  defense  against  the  Indians. 
Companies  of  rangers  were  organized,  and  a  number  of 
forts  were  erected. 

Each  of  the  forts  was  built  in  the  form  of  a  parallel- 
ogram, with  blockhouses  at  the  four  corners,  and  with 
the  sides  consisting  of  log  cabins  and  thick  palisades. 
They  were  strong  enough  to  resist  muskets  and  rifles, 
but  would  have  been  small  protection  against  artillery. 
Besides  affording  protection  from  the  Indians,  each  fort 
became  the  nucleus  of  a  little  settlement,  which  ulti- 
mately grew  into  a  village  or  thriving  district. 

In  1806  or  1807,  a  few  American  families  settled  on 
Loutre  Island.  This  island  is  in  the  Missouri  River, 
just  at  the  mouth  of  Loutre  Creek,  and  the  settlement 
on  it  was  among  the  most  exposed  of  any  on  the  Mis- 
souri border  at  that  time. 

In  the  year  1807  a  band  of  ten  Indians,  Sacs  and 
Pottawatomies,  came  from  Iowa  and  the  northern  part 
of  Missouri,  stole  seven  horses  belonging  to  the  inhab- 
itants of  Loutre  Island,  and  then  fled  northward  with 
them.  Five  settlers  started  in  pursuit.  They  were 

112 


"3 

William  Temple  Cole,  Stephen  Cole,  James  Patton, 
John  Gooch,  and  James  Murdock. 

On  the  evening  of  the  second  day  out,  the  party 
came  in  sight  of  the  Indians  on  the  Salt  River  Prairie, 
in  what  is  now  the  southern  part  of  Rails  County.  The 
white  men  moved  forward  a  mile  or  so,  and  then,  as 
darkness  was  coming  on,  they  went  into  camp  in  a 
dense  wood  on  the  bank  of  Spencer  Creek,  intending 
to  open  friendly  negotiations  with  the  Indians  on  the 
following  morning. 

Two  of  the  men  remained  on  guard  while  the  others 
slept.  They  little  dreamed  that  the  sharp  eyes  of  the 
Indians  were  upon  their  camp.  The  night  was  dark, 
and  while  they  slept  the  savages  surrounded  them. 
Suddenly,  the  cracks  of  rifles  and  the  most  appalling 
yells  rose  on  the  air.  W.  T.  Cole  and  Gooch  were 
instantly  killed.  Patton  was  wounded,  but  started  up 
on  his  knees,  when  a  shot  laid  him  dead  on  his  blanket. 

Stephen  Cole  and  Murdock  seized  their  rifles  and 
fired  into  the  darkness.  Murdock  leaped  through  the 
thicket  and  dropped  down  under  the  bank  of  the  creek, 
then  crawled  on  hands  and  knees  a  long  distance  up 
the  stream,  and  escaped.  After  wandering  several 
days  in  the  forest  and  prairie,  he  at  last  reached 
Loutre  Island. 

Stephen  Cole  was  left  alone  to  battle  with  the  sav- 
ages. He  was  a  large,  powerful,  and  very  brave  man. 
Two  of  the  Indians  threw  themselves  upon  him,  and 
engaged  him  in  a  hand-to-hand  fight.  Knocking  down 
the  Indian  in  front,  Cole  turned  upon  one  that  had 
wounded  him  in  the  back.  Seizing  his  wrist,  the  white 

STO.  OF  MO.  —  8 


114 

man  wrung  the  knife  from  the  Indian's  hand,  and  drove 
it  into  his  heart  up  to  the  hilt. 

The  dying  yell  of  the  savage  called  the  remaining 
eight  Indians  to  the  spot.  In  the  darkness  it  was  diffi- 
cult to  tell  friend  from  foe.  The  white  man  struck 
right  and  left,  and  inflicted  some  ugly  wounds  on  his 
enemies.  He  succeeded  in  cutting  his  way  through, 
then  leaped  over  the  bank  of  the  creek,  and,  aided  by 
the  darkness,  made  his  escape.  Mr.  Cole's  wound  was 
painful,  but  not  dangerous.  He  traveled  day  and  night 
through  the  woods,  until  finally  Loutre  Island  was 
reached. 

The  wounded  man  at  once  organized  a  company  to 
go  with  him  to  the  place  where  his  companions  had 
been  slain.  His  friends  tried  to  dissuade  him  from 
returning,  but  in  vain.  As  soon  as  his  wound  was 
dressed,  he  placed  himself  at  the  head  of  a  party  of 
armed  settlers,  and  set  out  for  the  scene  of  the  late  con- 
flict. The  dead  were  found  and  buried,  but  the  Indians 
had  fled  from  that  part  of  the  country. 

In  after  years,  no  name  was  more  familiar  on  the 
Missouri  frontier  than  that  of  Captain  Stephen  Cole. 
It  was  he  who,  in  1812,  built  Cole's  Fort,  and  it  was 
for  him  that  Cole  County  was  named.  He  was  killed 
by  the  Indians  in  1824  while  returning  from  Santa  Fe, 
with  which  town  the  people  in  Missouri  had  opened  a 
brisk  trade. 


From  its  exposed  position,  vast  territory,  and  sparse 
population,  north  Missouri  suffered  more  from  Indian 


depredations,  in  the  early  history  of  the  Territory,  than 
any  other  part  of  the  country.  With  few  exceptions, 
the  Indians  on  the  Missouri  River  were  peaceable,  even 
during  the  War  of  1812.  The  northern  Indians,  how- 
ever, including  the  Sacs,  Pottawatomies,  and  lowas, 
made  frequent  incursions  into  the  inhabited  portions  of 
the  Territory.  They  would  murder  and  plunder,  and 
then,  as  soon  as  they  were  pursued  by  rangers,  they 
would  flee  to  the  north. 

One  of  the  most  noted  conflicts  of  the  early  Indian 
wars  was  at  Cote  Sans  Dessein,  a  French  settlement  in 
what  is  now  Callaway  County,  two  miles  below  the 
mouth  of  the  Osage  River.  The  blockhouse  was  built 
on  a  limestone  hill,  six  hundred  yards  long,  in  a  piece 
of  bottom  land.  The  hill  was  a  vast  and  isolated 
mound,  and  hence  its  name,  which  means  a  "  Hill  with- 
out Design,"  or  an  unaccountable  hill. 

Cote  Sans  Dessein  was  once  a  village  of  considerable 
importance.  Early  in  the  War  of  1812,  it  was  attacked 
by  a  large  body  of  Indians.  At  the  time  of  the  attack 
the  blockhouse  was  occupied  only  by  a  .Frenchman 
named  Baptiste  Louis  Roi,  with  two  other  men  and  two 
women ;  but  these  five  persons  successfully  resisted  the 
determined  siege  until  the  rangers  from  St.  Louis  came 
to  their  relief. 

The  Frenchmen  were  cool,  and,  being  experienced 
marksmen,  brought  down  a  man  at  almost  every  shot. 
The  blockhouse  was  easily  defended,  because  of  its 
position  on  the  hill,  and  because  there  was  little  under- 
brush and  few  trees  near  by  to  protect  the  attacking 
party.  While  the  men  fired  through  the  portholes  at 


the  savages,  the  women  molded  bullets  and  loaded  guns. 
Roi  was  the  hero  of  the  fight,  but  his  wife  was  no  less 
heroic  than  himself. 

The  Indians,  knowing  that  there  were  not  many  in 
the  defending  party,  tried  to  storm  the  fort.  Roi  dis- 
covered their  design,  and  ordered  all  to  withhold  their 
fire  until  the  enemy  were  within  a  few  yards.  Then  he 
gave  the  order,  and  the  guns  flashed  with  such  deadly 
effect  that  the  savages  turned  about  and  fled  down 
the  hill. 

They  next  tried  to  burn  the  blockhouse.  Fastening 
combustibles  on  their  arrows,  they  shot  them  into  the 
roof,  which  in  a  few  moments  was  on  fire. 

"  I'll  put  it  out,"  cried  the  brave  Madame  Roi. 
"Shoot  the  savages,  and  mind  not  the  blazing  roof." 
Seizing  a  bucket  of  water,  she  climbed  up  by  means  of 
an  inside  ladder,  and  extinguished  the  flames.  The 
conflict  still  raged.  Again  and  again  was  the  roof  set 
in  flames  by  burning  arrows,  and  as  often  did  the  heroic 
Frenchwoman  extinguish  them. 

But  at  last  the  supply  of  water  was  exhausted,  and 
another  flaming  arrow  had  stuck  in  the  roof.  The  fort 
was  on  fire,  and  the  band  of  rangers  who  were  expected 
from  St.  Louis  had  not  yet  come.  Even  Roi  began  to 
despair. 

One  of  the  men,  peering  out  from  a  porthole  at  this 
moment,  descried  the  St.  Louis  rangers  coming,  but 
they  were  still  some  distance  away.  The  fort  would  be 
in  ashes  before  they  could  reach  it.  If  those  flames 
could  be  once  more  extinguished,  the  defenders  would 
be  saved.  Madame  Roi  was  equal  to  the  emergency. 


ii; 

She  ran  to  her  cupboard,  and,  taking  from  it  a  pan  of 
milk,  once  more  flew  up  the  ladder  and  put  out  the 
fire. 

The  yells  of  the  disappointed  savages  had  scarcely 
ceased  to  reverberate  among  the  hills  and  forests,  when 
the  relief  party  burst  upon  them  like  a  tornado.  The 
Indians  fled,  and  Cote  Sans  Dessein  was  saved  by  a 
plucky  Frenchwoman. 


, XVIII. 
MISSOURI    RANGERS. 

THE  early  struggles  with  the  Indians  in  Missouri 
called  into  existence  a  class  of  military  men  known 
as  rangers.  They  were  hardy  and  fearless,  always 
ready  for  some  daring  enterprise,  and  willing  to  un- 
dergo any  amount  of  toil  and  hardship  to  defend  the 
frontier.  Their  discipline  and  manner  of  service  dif- 
fered from  those  of  the  regular  army,  and  most  of  them 
served  without  pay.  Though  they  were  divided  into 
companies  and  regiments,  no  record  has  been  preserved 
of  their  organization ;  if  any  was  made,  it  was  de- 
stroyed when  the  State  capitol  burned,  about  twenty- 
five  years  later. 

Each  ranger  furnished  his  own  horse,  arms,  and 
ammunition.  The  rations  were  sometimes  provided  at 
the  expense  of  the  general  government,  but  often  the 
men  had  to  depend  on  the  wild  game  of  the  forest 
for  their  food.  As  there  is  no  record  of  the  early 
Missouri  rangers,  we  are  dependent  upon  tradition  for 
their  history. 

In  1870,  there  was  still  living  in  Rails  County  an 
old  ranger,  eighty-four  years  of  age.  His  name  was 
Richard  Chitwood,  and  to  him  and  a  few  others  of 
his  class  the  present  generation  is  indebted  for  much 
information  of  those  early  soldiers. 

118 


According  to  Mr.  Chitwood,  the  first  regiment  of 
rangers  was  organized  and  commanded  by  Colonel 
David  Musick,  of  St.  Louis,  who  was  one  of  the  first 
representatives  from  that  county  in  the  Territorial 
Legislature.  Among  his  most  daring  men  was  his 
nephew,  Asa,  of  whom  many  stories  are  told.  The 
young  man  was  foolhardy  in  danger,  yet  came  through 
a  score  of  pitched  battles  and  hard-fought  skirmishes 
unharmed. 

One  day,  while  a  small  party  of  rangers  was  scout- 
ing in  the  woods  near  the  Osage,  some  Indians  were 
seen  to  enter  a  group  of  trees.  The  rangers  hesitated 
to  attack  them,  but  Asa  sprang  from  his  horse  and 
crawled  almost  to  the  thicket,  when  the  Indians  sud- 
denly leaped  out  of  it,  and  ran  toward  the  river.  Asa 
fired  his  rifle  at  them ;  then,  throwing  it  on  the  ground, 
he  pursued  the  savages  to  the  banks  of  the  Osage, 
with  no  weapon  but  his  knife.  He  would  even  have 
followed  them  across  the  river  if  he  had  not  been  pre- 
vented by  his  companions. 

On  another  occasion,  the  rangers  were  engaged  in 
building  a  line  of  forts  on  the  Missouri  River  in  the 
St.  Charles  district,  and  were  using  a  yoke  of  oxen 
to  draw  the  logs  from  the  forest.  At  night  the  oxen 
were  unyoked  and  allowed  to  graze  within  the  circle 
of  camp  guards.  One  night  while  Asa  was  on  guard, 
the  oxen  escaped  from  the  camp,  and  strayed  into 
the  woods.  Colonel  Musick,  enraged  at  his  nephew's 
carelessness,  sent  him  into  the  woods  to  hunt  for  them. 
Asa  came  back  after  a  few  hours,  and  reported  that 
he  had  been  unable  to  find  them. 


120 

"Go  back!"  cried  the  angry  colonel,  "and  don't 
you  dare  to  return  until  you  have  found  that  yoke  of 
oxen." 

Asa  left  the  camp  and  went  to  Kentucky,  where 
he  remained  five  years.  At  the  end  of  that  time,  he 
returned  to  St.  Louis.  The  war  was  over,  and  the 
rangers  had  been  discharged  for  some  time.  On  in- 
quiry, Asa  learned  that  the  colonel  lived  in  the  town, 
so  he  went  to  his  house  and  knocked  at  the  door.  The 
colonel  answered  the  summons,  and  was  astonished  at 
being  confronted  by  the  deserter  of  five  years  before. 
Asa  gave  him  a  serious  look,  and  said,  — 

"  I  have  come  to  tell  you,  Uncle  Dave,  that  I  haven't 
found  the  oxen." 


Another  daring  ranger  of  the  time  was  Jerry  Ball, 
who  served  in  the  same  regiment  as  Asa  did.  He 
was  one  of  the  best  marksmen  on  the  frontier.  His 
rifle,  a  long-barreled  gun,  was  made  for  hunting  bear, 
and  it  was  said  that  he  could  send  a  bullet  twice  as 
far  as  any  one  else  in  the  regiment. 

Once  while  he  was  scouting  with  two  or  three  others 
on  the  Missouri,  they  discovered  some  Indians  across 
the  river.  The  Indians,  supposing  themselves  at  a 
safe  distance,  began  to  make  defiant  gestures  at  the 
rangers.  When  Jerry  Ball  dismounted  and  took  aim 
at  them,  they  shouted  in  derision.  He  fired,  and 
fatally  wounded  one  of  them,  whereupon  the  others 
fled.  For  this  feat  Jerry  was  called  by  the  Indians 
"Long  Shot." 


121 

Though  most  of  the  rangers  were  men  of  reckless 
daring,  there  was  occasionally  one  of  quite  the  oppo- 
site character.  We  are  told  of  a  certain  Harmon  who 
was  of  this  sort,  and  who,  like  most  cowards,  was  a 
great  boaster.  When  the  rangers  first  started  on  their 
campaign,  he  insisted  on  riding  in  front. 

Most  of  the  rangers  thought  Harmon  was  very 
brave  ;  but  there  was  one  old  man  who  declared  that 
he  was  a  most  consummate  coward,  and  that  he  would 
show  himself  to  be  such  when  they  came  under  fire. 
Harmon  boasted  so  much  of  what  he  would  do  when 
they  found  the  Indians,  that  some  of  his  companions 
became  tired  of  it,  and  determined  to  put  his  courage 
to  a  test. 

All  the  company  were  taken  into  the  secret  except 
two  or  three  of  Harmon's  most  intimate  friends.  One 
evening  after  they  had  gone  into  camp,  a  dozen  young 
men  stole  away  unseen  into  the  forest.  Shortly  after 
dark,  rapid  firing  and  deafening  yells  were  heard  on 
the  right,  and  the  sentries,  running  into  the  circle  of 
light  made  by  the  camp  fire,  shouted,  — 

"  Indians  !     Indians  !  " 

Harmon  ran.  He  did  not  stop  to  mount  his  horse, 
which  had  been  picketed  out  to  graze ;  he  did  not  stop 
to  put  on  his  cap,  which  had  fallen  to  the  ground.  A 
camp  dog  that  stood  in  his  way  was  kicked  aside ;  and 
then  the  fleeing  Harmon  was  seen  to  leap  over  logs, 
dodge  under  bushes,  and  plunge  into  a  muddy  swamp, 
sending  the  frightened  frogs  in  every  direction.  Ac- 
cording to  one  of  the  rangers  who  sometimes  wrote 
doggerel  verse,  — 


122 


I 


J 


He  kicked  the  dogs, 

And  leaped  the  logs, 
And  scared  the  frogs, 

And  plunged  into  the  water. 

Nor  did  Harmon  stop 
there.     He  ran  un- 
til he  reached  the 
nearest  fort,  about 
forty    miles     dis- 
tant.     On  being 
asked  where  the 
others  were,    he 
answered,  — 

"  All     killed. 
The  Indians  have 
killed  and  scalped 
every      one      of 
them.      I  am  all 
that  is  left  to  tell 
the  tale." 
The  people  in  the  fort  were 
for  several  days  in  a  state  of 
alarm  and  anxiety ;  but  this  was  changed 
to  laughter  when  the  company  returned  from  a  blood- 
less   campaign,    and    related    the    joke    that   had    been 
played  on  Harmon.     The  boaster  was  effectually  cured 
of  his  bad  habit,  but  never  again  went  with  the  rangers. 
Quite  in  contrast  with  Harmon  was  a  ranger  known 
as  Little  Abe.     Though  twenty-four   years  of  age,  he 
was  so  small    that   he  was    often    mistaken  for  a  boy. 
He     kept    his    face    shaved    perfectly    smooth,    which 


m 


123 

added  to  his  youthful  appearance.  Little  Abe  was 
among  the  most  daring  of  the  rangers,  and  was  a  fine 
marksman.  He  could  bark  a  squirrel  nine  shots  out 
of  ten,  a  feat  which  was  regarded  as  the  most  difficult 
of  all  to  perform.  To  "bark  a  squirrel,"  the  rifle  must 
be  aimed  so  that  the  ball  will  strike  and  shiver  the  bark 
of  the  limb  on  which  the  animal  is  crouching.  The 
squirrel  is  thrown  into  the  air  as  if  by  an  explosion,  and 
is  killed  by  the  concussion. 

Another  favorite  feat  of  Little  Abe's  was  snuffing  a 
candle.  This  shot  was  always  made  after  night,  A 
lighted  candle  was  placed  on  a  stump  fifty  yards  from 
the  marksman.  He  would  then  take  aim  offhand,  and 
shoot  the  top  of  the  wick  off ;  that  is,  actually  snuff 
the  candle  without  extinguishing  the  flame. 

The  rangers  once  started  out  to  pursue  a  band  of 
Indians  that  had  come  down  from  the  northern  part  of 
the  Territory.  These  savages  had  stolen  a  few  horses, 
and  then,  according  to  their  usual  custom,  had  fled  back 
toward  their  homes.  The  rangers  had  gone  two  days' 
forced  march,  when  they  ascertained  that  a  party  of 
Indians  had  slipped  back  past  them.  When  last  seen, 
this  party  was  going  in  the  direction  of  John  Patton's 
house,  which  was  two  or  three  miles  from  the  fort. 
Patton,  who  was  with  the  company,  became  very  much 
alarmed  for  his  wife  and  children,  whom  he  had  left  at 
home.  When  the  rangers  began  the  pursuit,  no  one 
thought  of  any  savages  getting  in  their  rear  and  attack- 
ing the  settlement  which  they  had  left.  Now,  however, 
they  turned  about,  and  hurried  back  as  rapidly  as  their 
almost  exhausted  horses  could  go. 


124 

Ten  miles  from  Patton's  cabin,  every  horse  except 
Little  Abe's  had  given  out.  He  pressed  on  alone, 
some  of  the  others  following  on  foot.  A  little  before 
sunset,  the  ranger  came  in  sight  of  the  cabin,  and  saw 
fifteen  or  twenty  Indians  not  over  a  fourth  of  a  mile 
from  it.  Little  Abe  urged  his  tired  horse  to  the  top  of 
its  speed.  When  he  reached  the  gate,  he  sprang  from 
the  saddle,  leaped  into  the  door,  and  quickly  told  Mrs. 
Patton  why  he  had  come. 

Not  dreaming  of  danger,  Mrs.  Patton  had  remained 
at  home  during  her  husband's  absence.  She  was  a 
brave  woman.  She  first  hastened  to  take  her  children 
to  the  attic,  and  then  returned  to  assist  in  the  defense. 
When  Little  Abe  opened  fire  on  the  savages,  Mrs. 
Patton  took  down  a  rifle  that  hung  on  the  wall,  gave  it 
to  him,  and  then  reloaded  the  one  he  had  emptied. 

The  cabin  was  so  near  to  the  fort  that  the  firing  was 
heard  there,  and  a  rescuing  party  was  sent  to  drive  the 
savages  away.  The  remarkable  skill  and  courage  of 
Little  Abe  enabled  him  to  keep  the  Indians  at  bay 
until  help  arrived.  Three  Indians  were  found  dead  on 
the  ground. 


XIX. 
THE  CAPTIVE. 


T 


HERE  is 

no  more 
beautiful  and 
thrilling  tale  of 
early  pioneer  days,  than 
the  story  of  Helen  Patter- 
son. She  was  born  in  Kentucky ;  but  while  she  was 
still  a  child  her  parents  removed  to  St.  Louis  County, 
Missouri,  and  lived  for  a  time  in  a  settlement  called 
Cold  Water,  which  is  in  St.  Ferdinand  township.  About 
the  year  1808  or  1809,  her  father  took  his  family  to 

I25 


126 

the  St.  Charles  district,  and  settled  only  a  few  miles 
from  the  home  of  the  veteran  backwoodsman,  Daniel 
Boone. 

At  the  time  of  this  last  removal,  Helen  was  about 
eighteen  years  of  age.  She  was  a  very  religious  girl, 
and  had  been  taught  to  believe  that  whatever  she  prayed 
for  would  be  granted. 

Shortly  after  the  family  had  settled  in  their  new 
home,  bands  of  prowling  savages  began  to  roam  about 
the  neighborhood.  The  Indians  would  plunder  the 
cabins  of  the  settlers  during  their  absence,  and  drive 
away  their  cattle,  horses,  and  hogs. 

One  day,  business  called  all  the  Patterson  family  to 
the  village,  except  Helen.  She  was  busily  engaged  in 
spinning,  when  the  house  was  surrounded  by  nine 
Indians.  Resistance  was  useless.  She  did  not  attempt 
to  escape  or  even  cry  out  for  help ;  for  one  of  the  sav- 
ages who  spoke  English  gave  her  to  understand  that 
she  would  be  killed  if  she  did  so. 

She  was  told  that  she  must  follow  the  Indians.  They 
took  such  things  as  they  could  conveniently  carry,  and 
with  their  captive  set  off  on  foot  through  the  forest,  in 
a  northwestern  direction.  The  shrewd  girl  had  brought 
a  ball  of  yarn  with  her,  and  from  this  she  occasionally 
broke  off  a  bit  and  dropped  it  at  the  side  of  the  path,  as 
a  guide  to  her  father  and  friends,  who  she  knew  would 
soon  be  in  pursuit. 

This  came  very  near  being  fatal  to. Helen,  for  one  of 
the  Indians  observed  what  she  was  doing,  and  raised 
his  hatchet  to  brain  her.  The  others  interceded,  but 
the  ball  of  yarn  was  taken  from  her,  and  she  was  closely 


127 

watched  lest  she  might  resort  to  some  other  device  for 
marking  a  trail. 

It  was  early  in  the  morning  when  Helen  was  captured. 
Her  parents  were  expected  to  return  to  the  cabin  by 
noon,  and  she  reasoned  that  they  would  be  in  pursuit 
before  the  Indians  had  gone  very  far.  As  the  savages 
were  on  foot,  and  her  father  would  no  doubt  follow 
them  on  horseback,  he  might  overtake  them  before 
dark.  The  uneasiness  expressed  by  her  captors  during 
the  afternoon  encouraged  her  in  the  belief  that  her 
friends  were  in  pursuit. 

A  little  before  sunset,  two  of  the  Indians  went  back 
to  reconnoiter,  and  the  other  seven,  with  the  captive, 
continued  on  in  the  forest.  Shortly  after  sunset,  the 
two  Indians  who  had  fallen  behind  joined  the  others, 
and  all  held  a  short  consultation,  which  the  white  girl 
could  not  understand. 

The  conference  lasted  but  a  few  moments,  and  then 
the  savages  hastened  forward  with  Helen  to  a  creek, 
where  the  banks  were  sloping,  and  the  water  shallow 
enough  for  them  to  wade  the  stream.  By  the  time 
they  had  crossed,  it  was  quite  dark.  The  night  was 
cloudy,  and  distant  thunder  could  occasionally  be 
heard. 

The  Indians  hurried  their  captive  to  a  place  half  a 
mile  from  the  ford,  and  there  tied  her  with  strips  of 
deerskin  to  one  of  the  low  branches  of  an  elm.  Her 
hands  were  extended  above  her  head,  and  her  wrists  were 
crossed  and  tied  so  tightly  that  she  found  it  impossible 
to  release  them.  When  they  had  secured  her  to  their 
own  satisfaction,  the  Indians  left  her,  assuring  her  that 


128 

they  were  going  back  to  the  ford  to  shoot  her  father  and 
his  companions  as  they  crossed  it. 

Helen  was  almost  frantic  with  fear  and  grief.  Added 
to  the  uncertainty  of  her  own  fate  was  the  knowledge 
that  her  father  and  friends  were  marching  right  into  an 
Indian  ambuscade. 

In  the  midst  of  her  trouble,  she  did  not  forget  her 
pious  teaching.  She  prayed  God  to  send  down  his 
angels  and  release  her.  But  no  angel  came.  In  her 
distress,  the  rumbling  thunders  in  the  distance  were 
unheard,  and  she  hardly  noticed  the  shower  until  she 
was  drenched  to  the  skin. 

The  rain  thoroughly  wet  the  strips  of  deerskin  with 
which  she  was  tied,  and  as  they  stretched  she  almost 
unconsciously  slipped  her  hands  from  them.  Her 
prayer  had  been  answered  by  the  rain.  She  hastily 
untied  her  feet,  and  sped  away  toward  the  creek. 
Guided  by  the  lightning's  friendly  glare,  she  crossed 
the  stream  half  a  mile  above  the  ford,  and  hastened  to 
meet  her  father  and  friends. 

At  every  flash  of  lightning  she  strained  her  eyes, 
hoping  to  catch  sight  of  them.  At  last,  moving  forms 
were  seen  in  the  distance,  but  they  were  too  far  away 
for  her  to  determine  whether  they  were  white  men  or 
Indians.  Crouching  down  at  the  root  of  a  tree  by  the 
path,  she  waited  until  they  were  within  a  few  rods  of 
her,  and  then  cried  in  a  low  voice,  — 

"  Father !     Father  !  " 

"  That  is  Helen,"  said  Mr.  Patterson. 

She  bounded  to  her  feet,  and  in  a  moment  was  at  his 
side,  telling  him  how  she  had  escaped.  The  rescuing 


I29 

party  was  composed  of  her  father  and  two  brothers,  a 
neighbor  named  Shultz,  and  Nathan  and  Daniel  M. 
Boone,  sons  of  the  great  pioneer,  Daniel  Boone. 

She  told  them  where  the  Indians  were  lying  in  am- 
bush, and  the  frontiersmen  decided  to  surprise  them. 
They  crossed  the  creek  on  a  log,  and  stole  down  to  the 
ford,  but  the  Indians  were  gone.  No  doubt  the  savages 
had  discovered  the  escape  of  the  prisoner,  and,  know- 
ing that  their  plan  to  surprise  the  white  men  had  failed, 
became  frightened  and  fled. 

Helen  Patterson  always  believed  it  was  her  prayers 
that  saved  her  father,  her  brothers,  and  herself  in 
that  trying  hour. 


XX. 

BOONE'S    SALT   WORKS. 

TRANSPORTING  goods  to  Missouri  in  the  early 
days  was  very  expensive,  and  the  inhabitants 
soon  learned  to  manufacture  many  of  the  things  they 
needed.  Among  the  earliest  of  their  products  was  salt. 

Hunters,  trappers,  and  traders  who  went  into  the 
wilderness  discovered  springs  which  were  so  briny  that 
they  could  not  drink  the  water.  Deer,  elk,  and  buffalo 
frequented  these  springs  to  lick  the  salt  deposited 
around  them.  For  that  reason,  the  banks  were  called 
"salt  licks";  and  hunters  used  to  watch  these  places 
for  the  game  which  came  to  them. 

When  the  first  salt  was  made  in  Missouri,  is  not 
definitely  known.  Several  places  and  several  persons 
claim  the  honor.  The  early  method  of  making  salt  was 
simple  enough.  Kettles  were  filled  with  brine,  which 
was  boiled  until  it  had  all  evaporated,  leaving  only  the 
salt.  Early  in  the  history  of  Missouri,  even  before  the 
Spanish  had  transferred  the  country  to  the  United 
States,  salt  was  thus  made  by  settlers.  It  was  not 
until  later  years,  however,  that  this  became  a  lucrative 
business. 

In  February,  1804,  Ira  P.  Nash  and  two  companions 
went  up  the  Missouri  River  and  located  the  first  claim 

130 


on  public  lands  in  what  is  now  Howard  County.  They 
remained  there  almost  a  month,  and  while  hunting 
discovered  some  springs  that  were  rich  with  salt. 

The  sons  of  Daniel  Boone,  Nathan  and  Daniel  M. 
Boone,  were  noted  for  their  courage  and  enterprise. 
They  heard  of  the  wonderful  salt  springs  in  the  "  upper 
country,"  or  country  up  the  Missouri  River,  and  in  1806 
they  set  out  to  examine  them.  Arriving  in  what  is  now 
Howard  County,  they  selected  a  location  for  salt  works. 

During  the  summer  of  1807,  the  Boone  brothers,  with 
three  men  named  Goforth,  Baldridge,  and  Manly,  took 
a  large  number  of  kettles,  and  went  up  the  Missouri 
River  in  boats  to  manufacture  salt  at  the  place  which 
they  had  located.  Being  compelled  to  row  against  the 
current,  their  journey  was  slow  and  laborious.  It  was 
the  more  so  on  account  of  the  great 
caution  they  were  obliged 
to  use  in  ascending  the 
river,  for  the  dark, 
muddy  stream  was 
filled  with  hidden 
snags,  rocks,  and 
sand  bars. 

Arrived    at    the     ; 
salt     springs,     they 
built     furnaces, 
placed  their  kettles     v  , 
over  them,   and   began 
making   salt.     The    place 
was  soon  known  as  Boones 
Lick,  and  all  the  country 


132 

above  Cedar  Creek  was  called  the  Boones  Lick  country. 
It  is  this  Cedar  Creek  which  now  forms  the  boundary 
line  between  Callaway  and  Boone  counties ;  at  that  time 
it  was  regarded  as  the  western  boundary  of  the  district 
of  St.  Charles. 

Sometime  about  1809,  five  men  left  St.  Charles  with 
their  kettles  in  a  boat,  drifted  down  the  Missouri  to  its 
mouth,  and  then  ascended  the  Mississippi  as  far  as  the 
mouth  of  Salt  River.  They  went  up  this  stream  until 
they  came  to  a  salt  spring  in  what  is  now  Rails  County. 
Here,  at  what  was  known  as  Freemores  Lick,  they 
built  a  furnace,  dug  a  well,  and  began  making  salt. 

During  the  summer  they  were  attacked  by  Indians, 
and  compelled  to  leave  their  works.  They  threw  their 
kettles  into  the  well,  and  started  for  St.  Charles.  All 
but  one  were  killed  on  the  way.  The  man  who  escaped 
journeyed  all  the  way  to  St.  Charles  through  the  forest 
and  across  the  prairie  without  eating  or  sleeping  until 
he  reached  his  home. 

Boone's  sons,  however,  were  unmolested,  and  in  the 
fall  they  returned  to  St.  Charles  with  canoes  filled  with 
salt.  This  led  others  to  brave  the  dangers  of  the  forest 
in  order  to  share  in  the  new  industry.  The  Boones, 
however,  were  the  chief  salt  makers  of  the  time.  They 
were  bold,  and  the  Indians  feared  them  more  than  they 
did  any  one  else.  The  name  their  father  had  gained  was 
enough  to  inspire  the  savages  with  dread  of  the  sons. 

The  explorations  in  the  salt  districts  were  fruitful  of 
other  results.  The  salt  makers  and  explorers  brought 
back  intelligence  of  a  beautiful  country.  They  told  of 
noble  streams,  grand  forests,  rolling  prairies,  and  rich 


133 

soils,  and  kindled  in  the  hearts  of  the  people,  a  desire 
to  live  in  that  far-away  land.  Bold  pioneers  pushed 
out  into  the  wilderness,  and  in  a  short  time  settlements 
began  to  spring  up  all  over  the  Boones  Lick  country. 

It  was  a  large  district,  requiring  three  or  four  days  to 
cross  it  on  horseback,  then  the  chief  mode  of  travel. 
After  the  first  settlement  was  made  in  Howard  County, 
other  settlers  soon  moved  into  the  Boones  Lick  country, 
and  by  the  year  1812  there  were  many  small  settle- 
ments here,  besides  a  number  of  pioneers  living  at  con- 
siderable distances  from  any  of  them. 

The  highway  which  led  to  what  afterwards  became 
the  town  of  Old  Franklin  was  known  as  the  Boones 
Lick  road.  It  became  the  main  thoroughfare,  and  was 
made  suitable  for  wagons. 

At  one  place  on  this  road  there  lived  a  pioneer  whose 
nearest  neighbor  was  ten  miles  distant.  His  cabin 
fronted  the  road,  and  his  wife,  lonely  in  her  prairie 
home,  was  in  the  habit  of  hailing  every  passer-by,  and 
asking,  "  What's  the  news  ?  " 

She  soon  became  famous  all  over  the  Boones  Lick 
country  as  the  great  interrogator.  When  the  War  of 
1812  broke  out,  and  the  Missourians  began  to  fear  an 
attack  from  the  British  and  Indians,  her  desire  to  learn 
the  news  increased. 

The  most  terrifying  stories  were  told  at  that  time, 
and  were  believed  by  some.  The  whole  country,  for 
instance,  would  quickly  become  alarmed  at  the  report 
that  Brock  and  Tecumseh  were  on  their  march  to  the 
Missouri  River,  with  a  large  army  of  British  and  Indians. 

After  a  time,  most  of  the  frontiersmen  learned  to 


134 

discredit  these  reports  ;  but  the  old  lady  in  the  lonely 
cabin  still  believed  everything  she  heard.  A  man  who 
had  been  stopped  repeatedly  on  his  way  to  and  from 
the  Boones  Lick  salt  works,  and  asked  if  there  was  any 
news,  determined  to  test  this  woman's  credulity  to  the 
utmost. 

The  next  time  he  rode  past  her  house,  she  ran  to  the 
gate,  as  usual,  and  called,  — 

"  Stop,  Mr.  Sinks,  what's  the  news  of  the  Indians  ? " 

Mr.1  Sinks  assumed  a  very  serious  look  and  an- 
swered, — 

"  Bad,  madam,  very  bad.       I  am  going  to    get   my 
family  out  of  the  country  just  as  soon  as  possible." 
.    "  Why,  what's  the  trouble  ?  " 

"Tecumseh  and  his  Indians  have  put  handspikes 
under  Lake  Michigan,  and  are  going  to  upset  it  and 
drown  us  all." 

Wringing  her  hands,  and  shrieking  in  an  agony  of 
dread,  the  woman  ran  to  the  field  where  her  husband 
was  at  work,  and  urged  him  to  pack  up  and  leave  the 
country  before  they  were  drowned.  When  he  learned 
what  was  the  .cause  of  her  alarm,  he  declared  that  he 
didn't  believe  the  Indians  could  upset  the  lake  if  they 
tried,  and  that,  as  he  was  a  good  swimmer,  he  was 
going  to  run  the  chances  of  getting  out,  if  they  did. 

Portions  of  the  Boones  Lick  country  were  for  a  long 
time  subject  to  the  raids  of  the  Indians.  During  the 
winter,  the  savages  remained  in  their  villages  and  wig- 
wams, living  on  the  product  of  the  summer's  hunt  and 
the  labor  of  the  women.  But  as  soon  as  it  was  warm 
enough  for  them  to  leave  their  homes,  they  began  to 


135 

rob  and  murder  the  settlers  on  the  frontier.  In  May, 
1818,  a  band  of  them  from  the  northern  part  of  the 
State  slipped  down  to  the  Boones  Lick  country,  and 
approached  the  house  of  a  pioneer  named  Ramsey. 

Mrs.  Ramsey  was  milking  her  cows,  and  was  not 
aware  of  the  presence  of  Indians  until  they  fired  at  her. 
She  dropped  her  milking  pail  and  ran  toward  the  house. 
They  fired  at  her  again,  and  one  bullet  wounded  her ; 
but  she  managed  to  reach  the  cabin  before  she  fell. 

Three  of  the  children,  who  were  in  the  front  yard, 
were  tomahawked  and  scalped.  Mr.  Ramsey  was  seri- 
ously wounded,  but  he  managed  to  seize  his  rifle  and 
keep  the  savages  from  the  house. 

Two  of  the  boys  escaped  and  gave  the  alarm  ;  and 
the  frontiersmen  were  not  slow  in  rallying  to  the  rescue. 
Among  those  who  came  to  the  scene  was  the  old 
pioneer,  Daniel  Boone.  He  washed  and  dressed  the 
wounds  of  Mrs.  Ramsey,  and  made  the  last  hours  of 
the  dying  woman  as  comfortable  as  possible.  When 
volunteers  set  out  after  the  Indians,  his  eyes  flashed 
with  the  same  fire  that  had  inspired  him  in  his  younger 
days,  and  he  said,  — 

"  I  should  like  to  go  with  you,  boys,  but  I  am  no 
account  any  more." 

The  Indians  were  overtaken,  four  of  them  killed,  and 
several  wounded.  Mrs.  Ramsey  died  from  her  injuries, 
and  was  buried  by  the  side  of  her  children  who  had 
been  killed  on  the  day  that  she  received  her  wounds. 


XXL1 
COOPER   AND    CALLAWAY. 

AS  said  before,  the  Boones  Lick  country  was  settled 
soon  after  its  exploration.  The  first  to  make  his 
home  there  was  Colonel  Benjamin  Cooper. 

With  his  wife  and  five  sons,  this  pioneer  came  from 
Ma.dison  County,  Kentucky,  and  in  1808  built  a  cabin 
near  Boones  Lick.  Their  immigration,  like  that  of 
many  other  families,  was  a  result  of  the  search  for  salt, 
which  was  being  industriously  carried  on.  They  had 
heard  the  stories  about  fertile  soil,  great  forests,  and 
abundant  game,  and  were  induced  by  them  to  brave  all 
dangers  and  become  the  first  settlers  of  what  is  now 
Howard  County. 

Colonel  Cooper's  location  was  so  far  beyond  any 
other  settlement,  that  he  and  his  family  were  in  great 
danger  from  the  Indians.  For  this  reason  the  governor 
of  the  Territory  ordered  him  to  live  somewhere  below 
the  Gasconade  River  until  he  could  be  assured  of  some 
protection  in  his  new  home.  The  colonel  obeyed  the 
order,  and  moved  to  Loutre  Island,  where  he  remained 
for  more  than  a  year.  In  February,  1810,  a  number  of 
other  emigrants  from  Madison  County,  Kentucky,  came 

1  The  material  for  this  chapter  is  partly  from  Col.  W.  F.  Switzler's 
"  History  of  Missouri." 

136 


137 

to  this  same  place,  looking  for  homes  in  the  new 
Territory.  Cooper  at  once  began  to  praise  the  Boones 
Lick  country,  and  before  the  month  was  out  he  had 
induced  a  band  of  the  sturdy  pioneers  to  accompany 
him  and  his  family  to  this  much-desired  locality.  They 
traveled  through  a  trackless  forest,  on  the  north  side  of 
the  Missouri  River,  and  safely  reached  their  destination 
in  March.  The  wives  of  the  new  immigrants  did  not 
arrive  until  August. 

It  did  not  take  long  for  the  settlers  to  build  their 
cabin  homes  and  clear  enough  land  for  cultivation ; 
but  the  hostile  Indians  were  a  constant  menace  to  the 
prosperity  of  the  settlement.  The  Pottawatomies,  who 
were  the  great  horse  thieves  of  the  frontier,  made  fre- 
quent raids  upon  the  Boones  Lick  country.  In  addition 
to  this,  the  more  warlike  lowas,  Foxes,  and  Kickapoos 
threatened  the  lives  of  the  settlers.  For  several  years 
the  little  band  of  whites  were  obliged  to  rely  wholly  on 
themselves  for  protection;  and  in  1812  they  built  five 
forts.  These  were  Cooper's  Fort,  Kinkaid's  Fort,  Fort 
Hempstead,  Fort  Head,  and  Cole's  Fort.  The  four  first 
named  were  all  within  what  is  now  Howard  County  ;  but 
Cole's  Fort  was  on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  not  far 
from  where  Boonville  now  stands.  It  was  built  and  com- 
manded by  Stephen  Cole,  who,  with  Hannah  Cole  and 
their  families,  was  the  first  to  settle  in  Cooper  County. 

The  settlers'  cornfields  were  cultivated  in  common, 
and  were  near  these  strongholds.  Sentinels  were  kept 
around  the  fields  while  the  men  were  at  work  in  them. 
At  the  first  sign  of  danger,  horns  were  blown,  and  all 
the  people  ran  to  the  forts,  where  they  were  safe  from 


138 

Indian  attacks.  In  spite  of  all  caution  and  bravery, 
however,  a  dozen  or  more  settlers,  at  different  times, 
were  slain  by  the  savages. 

One  dark,  stormy  night,  Captain  Sarshell  Cooper 
was  sitting  in  his  own  room  in  Cooper's  Fort.  His 
youngest  child  was  on  his  knee,  and  his  other  children 
were  playing  on  the  floor  about  him.  An  Indian, 
knowing  him  to  be  a  leading  spirit  among  the  whites, 
determined  to  kill  him.  Through  driving  rain  and 
howling  wind,  the  savage  crept  to  the  north  of  Captain 
Cooper's  cabin,  which  formed  one  side  of  the  fort. 
Carefully  making  a  hole  between  two  of  the  logs,  just 
large  enough  to  admit  the  muzzle  of  his  gun,  he  took 
aim  at  Captain  Cooper  and  fired.  The  brave  frontiers- 
man fell  dead  upon  the  floor,  and  his  assassin  fled  to 
the  forest  and  escaped.  Thus  perished  the  man  for 
whom  Cooper  County  was  named. 


In  the  winter  of  1812,  Thomas  Massey  left  Fort 
Clemison,  on  Loutre  Island,  where  he  had  settled  in 
1809,  and  moved  with  his  family  to  what  was  called 
Loutre  Lick,  where  he  had  leased  some  land  of  Colonel 
Nathan  Boone.  Mr.  Massey  built  a  cabin  on  the 
north  side  of  a  little  stream  known  as  Sallies  Branch, 
and  cleared  a  small  field  on  the  south  side.  This 
field  is  now  the  site  of  the  village  of  Mineola.  One 
morning  the  father  went  up  Loutre  Creek  to  examine 
some  Indian  "  signs  "  (or  footprints)  which  he  had  dis- 
covered the  previous  day.  Before  going,  he  set  his  son 
Harris  to  plowing  in  the  field. 


139 

"  Carry  your  rifle  on  your  back,  while  at  work," 
said  Mr.  Massey,  "  and  if  you  see  an  Indian,  shoot 
him  and  run  to  the  house."  The  boy  slung  his  gun 
across  his  shoulder  by  a  strap,  and  began  plowing. 
But  the  gun  was  heavy,  and  after  a  while  he  set  it 
against  a  tree. 

About  ten  in  the  morning,  a  band  of  Sac  Indians 
slyly  came  down  Sallies  Branch,  and,  crawling  under 
the  bank,  approached  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the 
boy  at  work  in  the  field.  They  shot  him,  and  then  ran 
up  and  scalped  him. 

From  the  cabin  door,  the  mother  and  sister  witnessed 
this  terrible  deed.  Ann  Massey,  the  oldest  daughter, 
seized  the  dinner  horn  and  blew  such  a  blast  that  the 
Indians,  fearing  that  the  signal  was  for  a  band  of  white 
men,  became  alarmed  and  fled.  Mr.  Massey  heard  the 
firing  and  the  dinner  horn,  and  hastened  home.  The 
Indians  had  left  the  horses,  and  upon  these  he  mounted 
his  family,  and  set  out  at  once  for  Fort  Clemison,  eigh- 
teen miles  away.  From  that  post,  a  party  went  to  Mr. 
Massey's  house  and  buried  the  dead  boy. 

On  March  6,  1815,  a  band  of  seventy-five  or  eighty 
Sac  and  Fox  Indians  came  down  from  the  northern 
part  of  the  Territory,  and  stole  a  dozen  or  more  horses 
that  were  grazing  on  the  mainland  near  Loutre  Island. 
They  hurried  away,  and  succeeded  in  escaping  with 
their  stolen  property  up  Loutre  Creek.  Captain  James 
Callaway,  with  fifteen  rangers,  set  out  at  once  after  the 
thieves.  On  the  second  day,  they  came  upon  a  fresh 
trail  left  by  the  Indians.  Rapidly  following  it,  about 
two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  they  came  upon  the  camp, 


140 

where  they  found  the  stolen  horses,  guarded  by  a  few 
squaws.  All  the  men  were  absent,  and  at  sight  of  the 
rangers  the  Indian  women  fled.  Captain  Callaway  did 
not  pursue  them,  but  collected  the  horses  and  started 
with  them  toward  Loutre  Island. 

Lieutenant  Jonathan  Riggs,  of  the  rangers,  was  an 
old  Indian  fighter,  and  a  man  of  caution  and  judgment. 
His  suspicions  were  aroused  by  the  disappearance  of 
the  savages.  He  thought  that  they  had  dispersed  in 
order  to  mislead  the  white  men,  and  that  they  would 
make  a  circuit  in  front  of  them  and  form  an  ambuscade 
into  which  the  rangers  would  fall.  He  advised  his 
companions  to  go  back  by  another  route. 

Captain  Callaway  was  a  dauntless  fellow,  and  merely 
laughed  at  his  friend's  fears.  He  believed  that  the 
Indians  had  left  the  country,  and  that  the  rangers 
would  see  no  more  of  them.  Accordingly,  the  white 
men  kept  on  their  course. 

They  had  reached  the  crossing  at  Prairie  Fork,  a 
hundred  yards  or  more  from  Loutre  Creek,  when  a 
terrible  volley  was  poured  into  them  from  in  front.  It 
seemed  as  if  the  grass  and  bushes  were  on  fire.  Parker 
Hutchings,  Frank  McDermit,  and  James  McMillin,  who 
were  about  a  hundred  yards  in  advance  with  the  recap- 
tured horses,  were  all  three  instantly  killed  by  the  first 
volley. 

Captain  Callaway  and  the  remaining  rangers  charged 
forward  and  plunged  into  the  fight.  They  were  met 
by  a  murderous  fire  from  an  ambushed  foe  concealed 
in  the  timber  on  the  hill  and  in  front.  Captain  Calla- 
way's  horse  was  killed  under  him,  and  he  himself 


received  a  shot  in  his  left  arm.  Another  bullet  struck 
his  watch,  but  the  timepiece  turned  it  aside.  Leaping 
from  his  dead  horse,  the  brave  captain  shouted,  — 

"  Cross  the  creek,  charge  them,  and  fight  to  the 
death!-" 

His  men  dashed  forward  and  plunged  into  the  creek. 
He  followed  them,  and  all  were  soon  in  the  stream,  which 


was  swollen  to  a  considerable  size  ' '  \  by  the  melting 
snow.  The  water  was  intensely  cold.  Captain  Calla- 
way's  wounded  arm  was  useless,  and  he  was  compelled 
to  swim  with  but  one  hand.  When  his  men  gained  the 
other  shore,  they  looked  back  and  saw  him  drifting 
down  the  stream.  Just  then  an  Indian  leveled  a  gun 
at  him,  and  shot  him  in  the  back  of  the  head.  The 


142 

white  men  saw  him  disappear  under  the  water,  and 
then  turned  again  toward  their  hidden  foes. 

Lieutenant  Riggs  and  the  rangers  fought  valiantly, 
but  the  Indians  outnumbered  them  five  to  one,  and 
were  all  good  marksmen.  From  the  tall  grass,  behind 
trees  and  logs,  they  continued  to  shoot  the  white  men, 
who  could  scarce  see  an  enemy.  The  lieutenant  at  last 
ordered  a  retreat,  after  six  of  the  rangers  had  fallen 
in  the  fierce  conflict.  The  remainder  recrossed  Prairie 
Fork,  and  going  a  mile  above  crossed  again  without 
meeting  any  opposition. 

Next  morning  they  succeeded  in  reaching  the  island^ 
Nearly  every  man  was  more  or  less  wounded,  and  every 
horse  had  been  struck  by  a  bullet.  The  horses  of  the 
settlers  were  lost.  Only  one  Indian  was  found  dead  on 
the  battle  ground,  and  he  was  buried  on  the  prairie, 
near  the  present  village  of  Wellsville. 

The  white  men  who  had  been  slain  in  the  conflict 
were  searched  out  and  buried.  It  was  several  days 
before  the  body  of  Captain  Callaway  was  found,  but  it 
was  at  last  discovered,  caught  by  a  bush  in  the  stream, 
several  hundred  yards  below  the  spot  where  he  had 
been  killed.  The  body  was  wrapped  in  blankets  and 
buried  on  the  side  of  a  steep  hill  sloping  down  to 
Loutre  Creek,  and  across  the  head  of  the  grave  was 
laid  a  flat  slab,  on  which  was  engraved:  " Captain 
James  Callaway,  March  7,  1815." 

Callaway  County  was  named  in  honor  of  this  gallant 
captain  of  rangers. 


XXII. 
THE    EARTHQUAKE   AT    NEW    MADRID. 

NEW  MADRID  was  among  the  first  settlements  in 
Missouri.  Though  it  was  prosperous  as  a  busi- 
ness village  and  trading  post,  its  inhabitants  were  noted 
for  their  impiety.  All  the  worst  elements  of  a  fron- 
tier river  town  were  to  be  found  here  in  this  place. 
The  residents  formed  a  mixed  class  of  society  made  up 
of  various  races  and  nationalities,  —  English,  Spanish, 
French,  Indians,  and  negroes.  Their  visitors  were 
boatmen,  hunters,  trappers,  and  gamblers.  All  this 
went  to  make  New  Madrid  what  on  the  frontier  was 
called  "a  tough  place." 

History  says  but  little  about  the  town  prior  to  the 
earthquake,  and  that  little  is  not  to  its  credit.  It  is 
spoken  of  as  the  favorite  resort  of  boatmen,  who  spent 
"their  Sabbaths  in  drinking,  garrfbling,  and  fighting." 
Priest  and  preacher  went  unheard,  or  if  they  were 
listened  to  at  all,  it  was  with  the  utmost  indifference. 

On  December  16,  1811,  many  of  the  settlers  of 
New  Madrid  observed  that  the  atmosphere  had  a 
strange,  murky  appearance.  Strange  phenomena  were 
not  unusual  on  the  frontier,  and  no  one  felt  any  great 
uneasiness  at  this,  although  some  declared  that  the  air 
was  filled  with  the  odor  of  sulphur. 

143 


144 

Evening  came,  and  many  of  the  inhabitants  retired 
for  the  night.  Some  of  the  houses  were  closed  and 
dark,  while  in  others  there  gleamed  lights  from  tallow 
candles.  There  were  a  number  of  keel  boats  tied  up 
along  the  shore.  Some  of  them  were  bound  for  the 
lower  country,  and  some  were  on  their  return  trip. 
Masters  and  crews  of  the  boats  were  spending  the 
evening  in  drinking  and  gambling. 

Near  ten  o'clock  at  night,  there  came  a  low  rumbling 
of  subterranean  thunder  which  startled  even  those  who 
were  in  deep  sleep.  Then  came  the  first  great  shock 
and  crash  of  the  earthquake.  Houses  trembled,  and 
people  ran  shrieking  into  the  streets.  Lights  in  the 
houses  were  extinguished,  and  as  the  night  was  cloudy, 
it  was  intensely  dark. 

A  few  seconds  later  there  came  a  second  shock, 
more  terrible  than  the  first.  This  shock,  according 
to  eyewitnesses,  was  "  an  undulating  movement "  ;  a 
moving  up  and  down  like  the  billows  of  the  sea. 
Houses  rocked,  trees  waved  together,  and  the  ground 
sank;  while  occasionally  vivid  flashes  of  lightning 
gleamed  through  the  troubled  clouds,  rendering  the 
darkness  doubly  horrible. 

The  shocks  of  this  earthquake  are  said  to  have 
equaled  in  violence  anything  ever  before  known.  The 
loss  of  life  was  not  so  great  as  might  have  been  ex- 
pected, for  the  country  was  thinly  populated,  and  the 
log  houses,  being  low,  were  not  easily  overturned. 

Vast  tracts  of  land  were  plunged  into  the  Mississippi 
River.  The  graveyard  at  New  Madrid,  with  all  its 
sleeping  dead,  sank  into  the  stream.  Large  lakes, 


145 

many  miles  in  extent,  were  made  in  a  single  hour, 
while  others  were  drained  in  the  same  time.  The 
whole  country  from  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio  in  one 
direction,  and  to  the  St.  Francis  in  another,  was  con- 
vulsed to  such  a  degree  as  to  create  lakes  and  islands. 

Trees  split  in  the  middle,  lashed  one  with  another, 
and  tangled  and  .matted,  inclined  in  every  direction 
and  at  every  angle.  The  undulations  of  the  earth's 
surface  were  said  to  resemble  the  waves  of  the  ocean, 
and  they  increased  in  elevation  until  the  earth  burst  at 
the  highest  point,  and  great  volumes  of  water,  sand, 
and  pit  coal  were  discharged.  Great  fissures  were 
formed  where  the  earth  had  burst,  and  hundreds  of 
them,  some  of  considerable  depth,  still  remained  many 
years  after. 

Large  districts  were  covered  with  white  sand,  which 
destroyed  their  value  for  agricultural  purposes.  Nearly 
the  whole  country,  particularly  that  part  called  Little 
Prairie,  was  flooded  with  water.  Through  the  forests, 
and  in  the  gloom  of  darkest  night,  people  fled  in  water 
up  to  their  waists,  while  concussions  occurring  every 
few  hours  appalled  all  living  creatures.  Even  the 
birds  lost  all  power  or  disposition  to  fly,  and  sought 
the  protection  of  their  fellow-sufferers.  As  the  people 
fled  through  forest  and  darkness,  a  person  would  oc- 
casionally sink  into  one  of  the  chasms  made  by  the 
earthquake,  but  the  cries  of  the  unfortunate  brought 
help  at  once,  and  all  who  stumbled  into  these  holes 
were  rescued. 

The  force  of  the  earthquake  was  much  more  de- 
structive on  the  river  than  on  the  land.  The  upheaval 

STO.  OF  MO.  —  IO 


146 

of  the  river  bed  caused  a  tidal  wave  which  for  a 
moment  changed  the  current  of  the  stream.  But  it 
was  only  for  a  moment ;  then  the  waters  rushed  into 
the  abyss  with  fearful  velocity.  Boats  were  caught 
in  the  eddying,  whirling  waters  and  destroyed,  while 
others  were  thrown  high  and  dry  upon  the  land  and 
left  there. 

An  eyewitness  of  the  terrible  scene  says,  — 

"  The  general  impulse  of  the  people  when  the  shocks 
commenced  was  to  fly.  When  the  convulsions  of  the 
earth  were  most  severe,  the  people  were  thrown  down 
at  almost  every  step.  In  the  midst  of  those  scenes 
of  terror,  all  —  Catholics  and  Protestants,  praying  and 
profane  —  became  of  one  religion,  and  partook  of  one 
feeling.  Two  hundred  people,  speaking  English, 
French,  and  Spanish,  crowded  together,  with  pale 
visages  and  trembling  forms.  Mothers  clasped  their 
children  to  their  breasts,  and  as  soon  as  they  could 
speak,  all  began  to  invoke  aid  from  God.  Even  the 
poor,  terrified  horses  and  cattle  crowded  about  the 
people  for  protection." 

"  I  was  in  the  house  with  my  family,"  one  man  said 
in  describing  the  terrible  night.  "  Some  of  the  children 
had  retired,  but  my  wife  was  still  spinning,  and  I  was 
reading  a  book.  The  first  shock,  which  was  preceded 
by  a  low  rumbling  sound  like  thunder  in  the  bowels  of 
the  earth,  threw  us  to  the  floor.  Fortunately  our  house 
was  not  thrown  down. 

"  '  God  save  us,  what  is  it  ? '  cried  my  wife. 

"  '  An  earthquake.     Let  us  fly  !'  I  answered. 

"  All  the  children  save  the  infant  were  awakened  by 


H7 

the  first  shock,  and  with  one  impulse 
we   ran   toward   the    door.      I 
opened   the    door,    and 
we  tumbled  into  the 
street,   where  scores 
of  others,  screaming 
and    wringing    their 
hands,    were    assem- 
bling. 

'"The  babe!  have 
you  got  the  baby  ? ' 
asked  my  wife. 

"  Then,  to  my  hor- 
ror, I  discovered  that 
our  helpless  infant  had 
been  left  in  the  house.     I  de- 
termined to  rescue  it,  or  die  in     w*'^x  /TIT        0 
the  effort. 

"  At  this  moment  the  second  shock  came  —  more  ter- 
rific than  the  first.  We  were  all  thrown  on  the  ground. 
It  was  so  dark  that  we  could  see  only  when  the  pale, 
sickly  flashes  of  lightning  illuminated  the  scene.  One 
of  these  flashes  followed,  or  rather  accompanied,  the 
second  shock,  and  by  aid  of  it  I  saw  the  people  all 
prostrated  on  the  ground. 

"  Assisting  my  wife  to  rise,  I  said,  — 

"  '  Stay  here  with  the  children.  Do  not  leave  on  any 
account,  and  I  will  go  and  fetch  the  baby  ! '  My  wife 
promised  to  obey,  and  I  started  toward  the  house.  The 
earth  was  still  shaking.  I  cannot  describe  the  sensa- 
tions I  experienced  at  that  time.  It  .was  .as  if  I  stood 


148 

upon  something  that  swayed  from  side  to  side,  and 
sank  and  rose  with  irregular  motions. 

"  I  was  thrown  down  twelve  times  trying  to  mount 
the  piazza  in  front  of  my  dwelling.  At  last  I  clutched 
the  steps  and  crawled  into  the  house,  where  the  cries  of 
the  affrighted  child  could  be  heard.  I  seized  it,  and 
after  many  efforts  succeeded  in  rejoining  my  wife.  We 
sought  a  high,  open  spot  of  ground,  and  remained  there 
until  morning,  which  it  seemed  to  us  would  never  come. 

"  When  morning  dawned,  no  sun  shone  on  us  to  glad- 
den our  hearts.  A  dense  vapor  arose  from  the  seams 
of  the  earth,  and  hid  it  from  view." 

Little  Prairie,  which  suffered  most,  contained  one 
hundred  families  located  in  a  very  deep,  fertile  bottom. 
Here  the  earth  was  torn  and  rent  by  the  throes  of  the 
earthquake,  and  some  places  were  covered  to  a  depth 
of  two  feet  with  sand.  In  the  first  paroxysm  of  fear, 
the  settlers  sought  to  escape  to  the  hills.  The  depth 
of  water,  however,  soon  cut  off  their  flight  in  that  direc- 
tion, and  there  was  nothing  to  do  but  wait  for  the  dawn 
of  day  before  making  any  other  effort  to  escape.  When 
the  danger  was  all  over,  every  family  in  the  settlement, 
except  two,  abandoned  their  homes  and  moved  away. 

The  cattle  and  harvest  at  Little  Prairie  and  New 
Madrid  were  nearly  all  destroyed.  The  people  no 
longer  dared  live  in  houses,  so  they  passed  this  winter 
and  the  succeeding  one  in  bark  wigwams  and  camps,  like 
the  Indians'.  These  were  so  light  that  if  thrown  down 
they  would  injure  no  one.  A  number  of  boats  loaded 
with  provisions  were  wrecked  on  the  Mississippi  above 
New  Madrid,  and  their  cargoes  were  driven  down  by 


149 

the  eddy  into  the  mouth  of  the  bayou  which  makes  the 
harbor  at  the  village.  This  accident  to  the  boats  was 
the  salvation  of  the  homeless  villagers.  Flour,  beef, 
pork,  bacon,  butter,  cheese,  apples,  in  short  everything 
that  was  carried  down  the  river,  floated  to  their  ruined 
hamlet.  The  owners  of  boats  that  came  safely  into  the 
bayou  were  so  frightened  that  they  disposed  of  their 
cargoes  at  nominal  prices,  rather  than  venture  further 
down  the  stream. 

Navigation  on  the  Mississippi  became  exceedingly 
perilous.  So  changed  was  the  river,  that  the  oldest 
pilots  were  no  longer  acquainted  with  it.  For  two 
months,  shocks  continued  almost  daily,  though  no 
others  were  so  severe  as  the  two  on  the  night  of 
December  16.  The  inhabitants  of  New  Madrid  thought 
that  the  whole  country  below  them  had  sunk.  A  great 
many  islands  in  the  river  did  sink,  and  new  ones  were 
raised,  and  the  bed  of  the  river  was  much  changed 
in  every  respect. 

After  the  earthquake,  the  country  about  New  Madrid 
exhibited  a  melancholy  aspect.  There  were  great 
chasms  at  intervals  of  half  or  quarter  of  a  mile,  while 
the  intervening  space  was  covered  with  white  sand. 
Trees  torn  up  and  strewn  over  the  ground,  or  split  in 
the  middle  as  if  riven  by  lightning,  were  to  be  seen  for 
many  miles.  Congress  enacted  laws  permitting  the  in- 
habitants of  the  earthquake  district  to  locate  the  same 
amount  of  lands  in  other  parts  of  the  Territory.  Cer- 
tificates of  claims  were  given  to  each  head  of  a  family 
who  lived  in  the  ruined  district.  But  the  inhabitants 
were  mostly  ignorant  backwoodsmen,  and  shrewd  and 


ISO 

unscrupulous  speculators  cheated  them  out  of  their 
claims,  so  that  they  never  received  any  substantial 
benefit  from  the  law. 

A  gentleman  who  formerly  lived  in  New  Madrid 
visited  it  seven  years  after  the  earthquake,  and  wrote,  — 

"  When  I  resided  there,  this  district,  formerly  so 
level,  rich,  and  beautiful,  had  the  most  melancholy  of 
all  aspects  of  decay  —  the  tokens  of  former  cultivation 
and  inhabitancy,  which  were  now  mementos  of  desola- 
tion and  desertion.  Large  and  beautiful  orchards  left 
uninclosed,  houses  deserted,  and  deep  chasms  in  the 
earth  were  obvious  at  frequent  intervals.  Such  was 
the  face  of  the  country,  although  the  people  had  for 
years  become  so  accustomed  to  the  frequent  small 
shocks,  which  did  no  essential  injury,  that  the  lands 
were  gradually  rising  in  value,  and  New  Madrid  was 
slowly  rebuilding  with  frail  buildings,  adapted  to  the 
apprehensions  of  the  people." 

Missouri  has  never  since  been  visited  by  a  disastrous 
earthquake,  and  the  dread  awakened  by  the  convulsions 
at  New  Madrid  is  no  longer  felt. 


XXIII. 

MISSOURI   TERRITORY. 

THE  region  which  we  call  Missouri  was  never  known 
by  this  name  until  the  year  1812.  Before  that 
time,  it  was  known  as  a  part  of  Louisiana,  the  Illinois 
District,  Upper  Louisiana,  the  District  of  Louisiana, 
and  the  Territory  of  Louisiana.  No  State  has  had 
more  names  or  has  changed  owners  more  times.  In 
1812,  it  did  not  become  the  State  of  Missouri,  but  the 
Territory  of  Missouri.  The  Territory  comprised  a  con- 
siderable part  of  Arkansas,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
northern  and  western  parts  of  the  present  State  were 
occupied  and  owned  by  the  Indians. 

So  many  changes  in  rulers,  names,  and  boundaries 
were  the  cause  of  many  amusing  incidents.  One  gentle- 
man traveling  through  the  Territory  met  another  from 
the  Boones  Lick  country,  and  asked  him  where  he 
lived  ;  and  the  latter  replied,  — 

"  I  lived  in  the  Illinois  District  yesterday,  but  we 
change  names  and  rulers  so  often  that  I  would  not  ven- 
ture to  say  where  I  live  now,  or  to  what  country  I 
belong." 

On  June  4,  1812,  Missouri  Territory  was  organized 
by  Congress,  with  a  governor,  a  legislative  council,  and 
a  house  of  representatives.  The  governor  was  appointed 


152 

by  the  President  of  the  United  States,  and  had  the 
power  of  absolute  veto.  Only  one  man  was  ever 
appointed  to  the  office  —  William  Clark,  one  of  the 
commanders  of  the  Lewis  and  Clark  expedition.  His 
term  as  governor  did  not  begin  till  1813,  but  it  lasted 
until  Missouri  became  a  State,  in  1821.  In  organizing 
the  Territory  of  Missouri,  it  was  divided  into  five  coun- 
ties :  St.  Charles,  St.  Louis,  Ste.  Genevieve,  Cape  Girar- 
deau,  and  New  Madrid.  Each  of  these  counties  elected 
members  to  the  Territorial  House  of  Representatives,  and 
together  they  sent  one  delegate  to  Congress.  The  Legis- 
lative Council  was  composed  of  nine  men,  selected  by 
the  President  from  a  list  of  eighteen  who  were  chosen 
by  the  House  of  Representatives. 

The  capital  of  Missouri  was  St.  Louis,  and  here,  in 
due  course,  her  first  Territorial  Legislature  met.  The 
members  were,  for  the  most  part,  men  with  little  or  no 
experience  in  lawmaking.  It  is  said  that  when  they 
had  assembled,  one  member  arose  and  asked,  — 

"  What  did  we  come  here  for  ?  " 

If  the  members  were  ignorant  of  their  duties,  the 
people  were  still  more  so. 

"What's  that  crowd  doing?"  asked  a  hunter  who 
had  just  entered  the  city. 

"That's  the  Legislature." 

"  What's  a  Legislature  ?  " 

It  was  explained  to  him  that  a  Legislature  was  an 
assembly  of  men  who  met  to  make  laws  for  the  people. 

"We  don't  want  any  laws,"  declared  the  hunter. 
"  We  won't  have  any  laws,  and  the  best  thing  we  can 
do  is  to  drive  the  Legislature  out  of  town." 


153 

But  the  suggestion  did  not  meet  with  favor,  and  the 
legislators  were  permitted  to  continue  their  business 
uninterrupted.  They  proceeded  first  to  enact  a  law 
regulating  a  system  of  weights  and  measures.  They 
created  the  office  of  sheriff  in  each  county,  and  en- 
acted a  law  for  taking  the  census  of  the  Territory. 
Permanent  seats  of  justice,  or  county  seats,  were 
located,  and  provision  was  made  for  the  compensation 
of  all  Territorial  and  county  officers. 

Laws  were  passed  prohibiting  crimes,  and  providing 
for  the  punishment  of  the  offenders.  Among  the 
early  acts,  also,  was  the  granting  of  a  charter  to  the 
first  bank  in  Missouri  —  the  Bank  of  St.  Louis. 

People  soon  began  to  appreciate  the  work  of  the 
lawmakers,  and  there  was  a  remarkable  change  for 
the  better  in  the  morals  of  the  inhabitants.  At  the 
second  session  of  the  Legislature,  laws  were  enacted  to 
regulate  elections,  and  to  suppress  vice  and  immorality 
on  the  Sabbath.  The  offices  of  Territorial  treasurer, 
auditor,  and  county  surveyor  were  established,  and  laws 
were  passed  for  the  improvement  of  public  roads. 

The  Territory  filled  up  rapidly,  and  new  counties 
were  soon  formed. 

In  1816-17,  among  other  acts  of  the  Legislature,  was 
one  to  encourage  the  "  killing  of  wolves,  panthers,  and 
wild  cats."  A  reward  of  five  dollars  was  offered  for 
the  scalp  of  every  one  of  these  animals  that  was  killed. 
The  scalp  was  the  skin  on  the  top  of  the  head,  includ- 
ing the  two  ears.  Scalps  were  taken  to  the  clerks  of 
the  county  courts,  who  gave  an  order  on  the  treasury 
for  five  dollars  for  each  one. 


154 

This  law  met  with  great  favor  among  hunters  and 
trappers.  They  concluded  that  lawmakers  were  of 
some  use  after  all,  and  there  was  no  more  talk  of 
running  them  out  of  town.  Through  all  the  various 
changes  of  State  government  since  the  early  days  of 
Missouri,  the  "wolf-scalp  law,"  as  it  is  known,  has 
remained  on  the  statute  books,  subject  to  only  slight 
modifications. 

For  some  time  after  the  formation  of  the  Territory, 
the  Boones  Lick  country  attracted  more  immigrants 
than  did  any  other  part  of  Missouri.  The  town  now 
known  as  Old  Franklin,  situated  two  miles  from  the 
present  town  of  Franklin,  was  laid  out  in  1816,  in 
what  was  called  Coopers  Bottom,  opposite  the  present 
city  of  Boonville. 

Franklin,  being  in  the  center  of  the  salt-making 
district,  soon  became  a  thrifty  village.  About  this 
time  a  brisk  trade  between  Missouri  and  Santa  Fe, 
New  Mexico,  was  opened  up.  It  consisted  of  an 
exchange  of  furs,  salt,  and  the  other  products  of  Mis- 
souri, for  coffee,  silver,  and  wool.  The  trade  was 
known  as  the  Santa  Fe  trade,  and  the  route  pursued 
by  the  traders  was  for  many  years  called  the  old  Santa 
Fe  trail. 

At  first  the  goods  were  carried  across  the  country 
on  the  backs  of  pack  horses  and  mules,  but  after  a 
time  wagons  were  used  in  place  of  them.  These 
wagons,  because  of  their  sloping  beds,  and  great 
white  covers,  were  called  "  prairie  schooners,"  and 
they  were  usually  drawn  by  eight  or  ten  horses  or 
oxen. 


155 

The  Santa  Fe  trade  was  attended  with  great  toil 
and  danger,  so  the  traders  usually  traveled  in  large 
wagon  trains  for  mutual  protection.  Sometimes  one 
train  contained  as  many  as  fifty  wagons.  Before  start- 
ing on  one  of  these  journeys,  officers  were  elected, 
and  every  one  was  obliged  to  obey  them.  There  was 
a  captain  of  the  wagon  train,  who  had  supreme  com- 
mand. Then  there  was  a  wagon  master,  who  had 
control  of  all  the  wagons,  and  who  had  authority  to 


condemn  or  abandon  any,  if  the  safety  of  the  train 
required  it.  A  guide  was  employed  who  possessed 
a  perfect  knowledge  of  the  trail,  and  of  the  Indians 
through  whose  country  it  passed,  or  with  whom  the 
party  was  liable  to  come  into  contact. 

Franklin  was  the  starting  point  for  these  fleets  of 
prairie  schooners.  The  increase  of  this  town  in  wealth 
and  commerce  during  the  brisk  days  of  the  Santa  Fe 
trade,  and  of  the  Boones  Lick  salt  works,  was  wonder- 
ful. It  was  here  that  the  first  newspaper  west  of  St. 


156 

Louis  was  established.  It  was  started  by  Nathaniel 
Patton  in  April,  1819,  and  was  called  the  Missouri 
Intelligencer. 

In  May,  1819,  the  steamboat  "Independence,"  com- 
manded by  Captain  Nelson,  left  St.  Louis  and  began 
the  first  trip  ever  made  by  any  steamer  on  the  Mis- 
souri River.  As  it  entered  the  turbid  waters  of  the 
great  stream,  all  the  passengers  on  board  felt  that 
this  trial  trip  was  not  without  danger. 

The  large  paddle  wheels  sent  the  waves  with  great 
force  against  the  sandy  banks.  Occasionally  a  rush- 
ing sound  was  heard,  a  violent  splash,  and  great  masses 
of  the  sandy  bank  would  fall  into  the  stream.  To  the 
timid  and  inexperienced,  this  was  a  dangerous  sign ; 
but  the  brave  captain  steadily  held  his  course,  and  at 
the  end  of  twelve  days  reached  the  village  of  Franklin, 
his  destination. 

All  the  town  turned  out  to  greet  the  arrival  of  the 
first  steamboat  at  Franklin.  But  this  was  only  the 
beginning  of  navigation  on  the  Missouri,  and  until 
railroads  supplanted  water  transportation,  the  Missouri 
River  was  the  great  thoroughfare  by  which  the  interior 
of  the  State  was  reached. 


XXIV. 

FANATICAL   PILGRIMS. 

AMONG  the  many  curious  people  who  settled  in  Mis- 
souri during  the  Territorial  days,  was  a  class  of 
religious  fanatics  known  in  history  as  the  Fanatical 
Pilgrims.  They  came  to  Missouri  in  the  year  1817, 
and  for  some  time  their  influence  was  strongly  felt  in 
that  part  of  the  Territory  in  which  they  had  settled. 

This  strange  society  was  heard  of  first  in  Lower 
Canada.  A  few  enthusiastic  people  began  to  discuss 
the  deadness  and  unworthiness  of  all  religious  bodies, 
and  grew  anxious  to  separate  themselves  from  all  church 
organizations,  in  order  to  form  a  more  perfect  society. 
Others  soon  caught  the  enthusiasm,  and  hastened  to 
join  the  new  movement. 

What  induced  these  people  to  start  out  on  a  pilgrim- 
age to  the  southwest  is  not  positively  known.  Some 
think  that  it  came  about  by  misinterpreting  the  text, 
"  sell  whatsoever  thou  hast,  give  to  the  poor,  .  .  .  and 
follow  me."  However  that  may  be,  they  sold  their 
earthly  possessions,  or  put  them  into  a  common  stock, 
and  began  their  pilgrimage. 

They  had  a  leader  whom  they  called  their  prophet. 
Whether  he  was  an  impostor  or  was  insane,  it  is  impos- 
sible to  determine.  They  traveled  through  Vermont 

'57 


1 58 

and  New  York,  gathering  recruits  all  along  their  route. 
When  questioned  as  to  where  they  were  going,  they 
declared  that  there  was  a  New  Jerusalem  far  to  the 
southwest,  and  that  they  were  journeying  there  to  make 
it  their  home. 

They  arrived  at  New  Madrid  in  boats,  and  walked 
ashore  in  Indian  file;  the  old  men  in  front,  and  the 
women  and  children  in  the  rear.  As  they  walked, 
they  chanted  a  kind  of  a  hymn,  the  burden  of  which 
was,  — 

"  Praise  God  !     Praise  God  !  " 

At  New  Madrid  they  stopped  and  organized  their 
society.  They  had  about  eight  or  ten  thousand  dollars' 
worth  of  property,  which  was  held  in  common.  The 
prophet  was  their  ruler,  spiritual  and  temporal.  He  had 
visions  at  night,  which  he  expounded  in  the  morning, 
and  by  these  he  determined  whether  they  should  stop 
or  go  on,  whether  the  journey  should  be  by  land  or 
water,  —  in  short,  everything  was  settled  by  immediate 
inspiration. 

Their  food  was  mush  and  milk  prepared  in  a  trough  ; 
and  it  is  said  that  they  stood  up  in  rows  by  it,  and 
sucked  what  they  wanted  through  hollow  reeds  or 
perforated  cornstalks.  They  imposed  terrible  penalties 
on  those  violating  the  law  of  God,  as  they  interpreted 
it.  In  some  respects  they  were  very  much  like  the 
Mormons,  who  followed  about  two  decades  later;  but 
they  differed  from  the  later  sect  in  being  indolent  and 
filthy,  for  the  Mormons  were  usually  clean  and  indus- 
trious. Among  other  peculiarities,  the  Fanatical  Pil- 
grims affected  a  ragged  dress  in  which  were  dif- 


ferent  stripes,  like  those  of  the  convicts  in  peniten- 
tiaries. They  also  wore  caps  made  of  the  same  striped 
material. 

So  formidable  a  band  of  ragged  pilgrims,  marching 
in  perfect  order  and  chanting  with  a  peculiar  twang  the 
short  phrase,  "  Praise  God !  Praise  God !  "  had  in  it 
something  imposing  to  people  like  those  in  Missouri. 


Especially  was  this  the  case  in  New  Madrid,  where  the 
inhabitants  had  not  yet  recovered  from  the  unnatural 
dread  occasioned  by  the  earthquake.  The  coming  of 
this  strange  company  into  a  house  caused  the  people 
a  thrill  of  alarm.  Food  lost  its  savor  while  they 
were  calling  upon  the  inhabitants,  standing  with  eyes 
turned  upward,  as  motionless  as  statues,  and  chant- 
ing,— 


i6o 

"Praise  God!  Fast  and  pray!"  Small  children 
cried  with  fright  at  sight  of  these  people,  and  hid  them- 
selves from  view. 

At  New  Madrid,  two  of  the  most  distinguished  pil- 
grims determined  to  leave  the  band.  Their  intentions 
were  found  out,  and  they  were  placed  in  confinement 
under  a  guard ;  but  at  last  they  succeeded  in  making 
their  escape.  One  of  them  was  an  accomplished  lady, 
whose  overwrought  imagination  had  been  carried  away 
by  the  imposing  rites  of  the  pilgrims ;  and  soon  after 
her  escape  she  died  from  the  starvation  and  hardships 
she  had  endured  while  with  them. 

The  band  finally  settled  on  Pilgrims  Island,  opposite 
Little  Prairie,  where  they  remained  a  long  time.  Here 
the  most  senseless,  useless,  and  wicked  rites  were  prac- 
ticed. In  accordance  with  his  own  interpretation  of  the 
text,  "  Let  the'  dead  bury  their  dead,"  the  prophet  re- 
fused to  allow  his  people  to  make  any  burials,  and  the 
bones  of  the  dead  pilgrims  were  left  to  bleach  in  the  sun. 

This  sect,  which  at  one  time  numbered  hundreds, 
finally  began  to  dwindle  away.  Evil-minded  boatmen 
landed  on  the  island  and  robbed  them,  for  their  religion 
would  not  permit  them  to  defend  themselves.  Many 
made  their  escape  from  the  island,  and  scattered  over 
the  southern  part  of  Missouri,  wiser  and  better  people. 

The  sheriff  of  New  Madrid  was  once  informed  that 
there  were  children  among  these  fanatics,  starving  for 
want  of  food ;  so  he  loaded  a  boat  with  provisions,  and 
set  out  for  the  island  with  three  or  four  deputies. 

On  reaching  the  place  he  was  met  by  the  tall,  gaunt 
prophet,  hollow-eyed,  and  staring  like  a  lunatic. 


"  Who  are  ye  ?  "  he  demanded. 

"I  am  the  sheriff  of  New  Madrid." 

"What  seek  ye  here?  This  is  the  land  of  the  holy, 
and  we  have  no  need  of  sheriffs." 

The  officer  then  explained  that  he  had  brought  a  boat 
load  of  provisions  for  the  starving  children.  At  this  in- 
telligence, the  little  ones,  to  the  number  of  two  or  three 
score,  began  to  press  forward,  eager  to  get  the  food. 
It  was  a  sad  sight.  Their  little  faces  were  pinched 
with  hunger,  and  their  forms  were  so  emaciated  that 
they  were  like  living  skeletons. 

When  the  prophet  learned  the  mission  of  the  sheriff, 
he  cried,  — 

"  Away  with  your  food.  We  are  commanded  to  fast 
and  pray !  " 

He  shrieked,  and  waved  his  long,  bony  arms  in  the 
air;  and  his  gaunt  form  looked  so  like  a  specter  that 
for  a  moment  the  sheriff  was  filled  with  awe.  But  the 
sight  of  the  starving  children,  crowding  forward  and 
begging  for  bread,  aroused  the  officer  to  a  sense  of  his 
duty.  He  started  toward  the  prophet,  saying,  — 

"  I  have  come  with  food  for  the  children.  It  is  my 
duty  to  give  it  to  them,  and  you  must  not  interfere." 

Turning  to  the  little  ones,  the  prophet  cried,  — 

"  Take  no  food  !  "  In  such  awe  was  this  man  held, 
that  the  starving  children  shrank  away  from  the  food 
which  they  were  craving. 

"You  shall  not  starve  those  children,"  declared  the 
sheriff. 

"  Better  that  their  bodies  perish  than  that  their  souls 
should  be  cast  into  hell  fire." 

STO.  OF  MO.  —  II 


162 

The  sheriff,  finding  explanation  and  reasoning  use- 
less, determined  to  resort  to  force. 

"  I  have  brought  the  children  something  to  eat,  and  I 
shall  give  it  to  them,"  he  declared.  "  Do  not  hinder 
me." 

He  then  ordered  the  men  to  bring  the  food  on  shore 
and  distribute  it  among  the  little  ones.  The  prophet 
gave  utterance  to  a  wild  cry,  and  a  dozen  of  his  fol- 
lowers, gaunt,  ragged,  and  haggard  as  himself,  came  to 
his  side. 

The  sheriff  drew  his  sword,  and,  advancing  toward 
them,  cried,  - 

"  Stand  back,  insane  wretches !  I  shall  feed  those 
children,  if  I  have  to  kill  you." 

The  gleam  of  his  sword,  the  flash  of  his  determined 
eye,  and  his  threatening  manner  frightened  the  prophet 
and  his  followers.  They  fell  back,  and  the  children 
pressed  forward  and  ravenously  devoured  the  food 
which  had  been  brought  for  them. 

The  older  people  could  be  induced  to  eat  but  little, 
for  the  prophet  declared  that  God's  wrath  would  fall 
upon  all  who  touched  the  food. 

Many  of  the  pilgrims,  cured  of  their  fanaticism,  left 
the  island  and  settled  in  various  parts  of  Missouri. 
Dwindled  to  an  insignificant  number,  the  band  finally 
removed  to  Arkansas,  where  their  leaders  died ;  and 
the  remainder  soon  gave  up  the  folly  of  such  a  life,  and 
became  more  sensible  and  consistent  Christians. 


XXV. 
THE    EARLY    LAWYER. 

OUTSIDE  of  the  towns,  some  of  which  were 
rapidly  becoming  cities,  there  was  very  little  liti- 
gation in  Missouri  during  the  Territorial  days.  In  the 
first  place,  property  was  seldom  valuable  enough  to  go  to 
law  about ;  and,  besides  this,  there  was  a  rude  honesty 
and  sense  of  justice  among  the  pioneers,  which  impelled 
them  to  obey  the  golden  rule. 

Their  differences  were  settled  more  frequently  by 
arbitration  than  by  law.  The  plan  of  arbitration  was 
very  simple.  Each  party  would  choose  a  neighbor,  and 
these  two  would  choose  a  third ;  the  committee  of  three 
would  meet,  hear  both  sides,  and  then  go  to  a  log  and 
sit  down  to  discuss  the  question  in  dispute.  When  a 
decision  was  reached,  they  called  the  interested  parties 
and  announced  their  award,  —  generally  more  just  than 
the  decision  of  a  court,  —  and  the  parties  usually 
accepted  it  in  silence. 

If,  however,  they  were  still  disposed  to  disagree  and 
be  unneighborly,  some  of  the  pioneers  would  get  them 
together  and  lecture  them  on  the  "  unreasonableness  of 
their  differences,"  and  the  bad  effect  it  had  on  the  "  set- 
tlement ;  "  and  often  the  parties  would  be  thus  induced 
to  "make,  up."  When  they  "  made  up,"  they  shook 

163 


164 

hands  in  the  presence  of  the  committee,  and  such  a 
settlement  was  usually  lasting. 

Some  of  the  early  justices  of  the  peace,  or  magis- 
trates, and  even  judges  of  the  circuit  courts  were  very 
ignorant  of  the  law.  Their  decisions  were  based  on 
their  ideas  of  justice  and  their  strong  common  sense. 
Many  amusing  stories  are  told  of  these  early  magis- 
trates, which  illustrate  the  character  of  the  early  in- 
habitants of  the  State,  as  well  as  that  of  their  judicial 
proceedings. 

A  man  named  Brown,  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  was 
elected  justice  of  the  peace.  He  was  a  man  of  some 
qualifications,  as  he  was  able  to  write,  and  could  read 
fairly  well  in  the  New  Testament,  the  only  book  he 
had ;  but  Brown  knew  nothing  of  law,  or  of  legal 
proceedings. 

The  first  case  that  he  had  was  a  difficult  one.  A 
man  named  Nelson  came  to  him  and  complained  of 
being  robbed.  Mr.  Nelson  knew  the  thief,  but  to 
recover  the  property  was  impossible,  as  it  had  been 
destroyed.  Nelson  had  a  neighbor  named  Evans.  Mr. 
Evans  had  a  dog  named  Tray,  and  this  dog  was  the 
thief  that  had  robbed  Mr.  Nelson.  During  the  silent 
hours  of  the  night,  Tray,  with  malice  aforethought, 
had  entered  Mr.  Nelson's  smokehouse  and  had  stolen 
and  carried  away  three  bacon  hams. 

Mr.  Evans,  the  owner  of  Tray,  had  no  part  in  the 
theft,  as  he  was  sound  asleep,  and  so,  of  course,  he 
was  not  responsible.  After  giving  the  matter  due 
consideration,  and  consulting  with  disinterested  parties, 
the  new  magistrate  issued  a  warrant  for  Tray.  The 


165 

constable  arrested  the  dog,  and  brought  him  before 
the  magistrate.  The  blacksmith's  shop  was  converted 
into  a  court  of  justice. 

As  the  defendant  was  unable  to  speak  for  himself, 
the  magistrate  ordered  the  constable  to  summon  a 
jury  to  try  the  case.  The  jury  was  duly  impaneled 
and  sworn,  and  a  number  of  witnesses  were  then 
examined.  The  testimony  brought  out  against  Tray 
was  very  damaging. 

All  the  while  the  defendant  lay  stretched  out  on 
the  bare  earth,  his  nose  between  his  fore  paws,  per- 
fectly unconcerned.  The  jury  were  an  hour  making 
their  verdict.  The  decision  was  that  the  dog  should 
be  whipped. 

"  But  how  about  the  costs  ? "    asked  the  magistrate. 

"The  constable  is  to  pay  the  costs,"  answered  the 
foreman  of  the  jury,  gravely.  The  constable  objected, 
but  no  appeal  was  taken,  and,  as  no  one  knew  how 
much  the  costs  were,  they  were  never  collected.  Poor 
Tray  was  tied  to  a  tree,  and  received  the  full  penalty 
of  the  sentence ;  but  it  is  certain  that  he  never  knew 
why  he  got  that  flogging. 


Dr.  Willis  P.  King,  in  his  "  Stories  of  a  Country 
Doctor,"  relates  an  incident  which  illustrates  some  of 
the  characteristics  of  these  early  justices. 

"  In  the  'good  old  days,'  a  case  was  being  tried 
before  a  justice  of  the  peace.  The  litigants  had  had 
difficulties  growing  out  of  the  close  proximity  of  their 
farms.  Cross  fences,  breachy  cattle,  and  other  such 


1 66 

matters  had  finally  brought  them  into  court  to  settle 
their  disputes.  They  were  very  bitter  against  each 
other,  and  as  the  trial  progressed  they  grew  more 
and  more  so,  until  at  last  they  began  to  hurl  invectives 
at  each  other  right  before  the  seat  of  justice.  Finally 
they  began  to  '  talk  fight '  and  one  of  them  said,  — 

" '  If  you  can  whip  me,  you  can  settle  this  your  own 
way.' 

"  The  other  responded  with  a  like  statement,  and  at 
it  they  went.  They  were  soon  down  on  the  floor, 
rolling  and  tumbling,  biting  and  gouging,  after  the 
fashion  of  those  days.  The  jury  arose  to  their  feet, 
and  everything  was  excitement  and  confusion.  Several 
men  shouted,  — 

"  '  Don't  let  'em  fight !     Part  'em  !     Part  'em  ! ' 

"The  justice  sprang  into  the  midst  of  the  surging 
crowd,  but  instead  of  '  commanding  the  peace,'  as 
was  his  duty,  yelled  out,  — 

" '  Let  'em  alone,  men  ;  let  'em  fight  it  out ;  if  they 
can  settle  it  that  way,  it  will  save  the  costs.'  ' 

For  judicial  purposes,  the  Territory  was  divided  into 
judicial  circuits,  just  as  it  is  to-day.  The  circuits  of 
that  time  were  very  extensive.  A  county  was  about 
as  large  then  as  a  Congressional  district  is  now,  but 
it  required  several  counties  to  make  a  circuit.  Men 
having  business  in  court  were  sometimes  compelled 
to  travel  from  thirty  to  one  hundred  miles  to  reach 
the  place  where  the  judge  was  to  sit. 

Travel  was  nearly  altogether  on  horseback.  Judge 
and  lawyers  went  together  from  town  to  town,  or  "  rode 
the  circuit,"  as  it  was  called.  Their  journeys  were 


i67 

often  through  vast  forests,  or  across  prairies  with  only 
a  bridle  path  to  follow.  Their  books  and  legal  papers 
were  carried  in  saddlebags.  To  enliven  such  a  tour 
through  the  boundless  forest,  the  lawyers,  clients,  and 
judges  would  relate  anecdotes  and  sketches  of  ad- 
venture. 

If  there  happened  to  be  one  along  who  had  some 
musical  ability,  —  and  such  a  one  could  usually  be 
found  in  the  party,  —  he  would  unpack  a  flute  or  fiddle 
from  his  saddlebags,  and  strike  up  the  melody  of  some 
popular  air  or  song  of  the  time,  in  which  the  company 
would  often  join  with  a  hearty  chorus.  There  were 
stopping  places  along  the  way,  usually  some  lonely 
cabin,  where  the  frontiersman  entertained  his  guests 
as  best  he  could.  Often  eight  or  ten  men  would  spend 
the  night  in  a  house  which  had  but  a  single  room. 
The  best  bed  or  couch  was  given  to  the  judge,  and  if 
there  were  others  they  were  occupied  by  the  lawyers. 
If  there  were  not  enough  beds,  some  of  the  men  slept 
on  the  floor  or  in  the  barn  loft. 


In  those  days  men  avoided  going  to  law,  for  it  was 
thought  a  disgrace  to  have  "been  in  court."  A  man 
who  was  continually  suing  or  being  sued  was  considered 
a  meddlesome,  quarrelsome  fellow,  and  no  one  wanted 
to  have  any  dealings  with  him. 

There  was  a  young  farmer  named  Skinner  living  on 
the  frontier,  who  was  usually  a  quiet,  mild  fellow ;  but 
one  day  he  became  intoxicated  at  a  logrolling,  and  was 
the  aggressor  in  a  fist  fight.  He  was  arrested  and  taken 


1 68 

before  a  justice  of  the  peace,  where  he  gave  bail  for  his 
appearance  at  circuit  court. 

Skinner  hated  courts  and  lawyers,  for  he  regarded 
the  latter  as  meddlesome  and  unprincipled.  He  was 
indicted  by  the  grand  jury ;  and  his  father-in-law,  with- 
out his  knowledge,  employed  an  attorney  to  defend  him 
at  his  trial. 

When  the  case  of  the  "  State  vs.  Skinner "  was 
called,  the  lawyer  answered  that  he  appeared  for  the 
defendant. 

"  No  he  don't,  Judge,"  cried  Skinner,  leaping  to  his 
feet.  "  I  don't  want  any  lawyer.  I'd  rather  go  to  jail 
than  have  anything  to  do  with  one  of  those  fellows." 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  your  case  ?  "  asked 
the  judge. 

"Give  me  a  clearance  of  that  bond,  and  I  don't  care 
what  you  do  with  the  case." 

The  judge  asked  what  the  man  meant  by  "a  clear- 
ance of  the  bond,"  and  was  informed  by  the  defendant 
that  he  had  given  bond  for  his  appearance  at  court,  and 
that  he  wanted  his  sureties  released. 

The  judge  said  he  must  go  on  trial,  and  asked  him 
where  his  lawyer  was. 

"  Here's  my  lawyer,"  Skinner  answered,  tapping  his 
breast.  A  jury  was  impaneled  ;  Skinner  defended  his 
own  cause,  much  to  the  amusement  of  all ;  and  he 
secured  an  acquittal. 

Some  of  the  entries  to  be  found  in  the  dockets  kept 
by  the  early  justices  of  the  peace  are  amusing.  The 
following  is  a  literal  transcript  of  a  judgment  rendered 
by  one : — 


1 69 

PETE  LANTZ  Plf. 

vs 
ABE  WOLF  Deft 

Before  W.  W.  M— J.  P. 
August  16,  1822. 

Plantiff  sued  Defendant  on  a  plane  not  of  hand.  Constable 
surved  papers.  Sot  for  trial  August  27th.  Now  comes  Abe  Wolf 
and  wants  a  jury,  and  i  giv  it  to  him.  Judgement  for  lantz  for  a 
yerling  steer.  Abe  Wolf  wants  to  appeal,  the  justis  cant  see  it. 

During  the  thirties,  there  lived  a  lawyer  in  Boonville 
who  was  a  terror  to  witnesses  on  cross-examination. 
He  was  original,  witty,  tyrannical,  sarcastic,  and  abusive 
in  his  addresses  to  juries.  Strong  men  grew  speech- 
less when  he  opened  fire  on  them. 

A  Mr.  B.,  an  excellent  old  farmer,  found  himself  at 
last  dragged  into  a  lawsuit  in  spite  of  his  aversion  to 
courts.  Being  unaccustomed  to  the  rigid  cross-exami- 
nation of  lawyers,  he  became  confused  in  some  of  his 
statements. 

The  lawyer  took  advantage  of  this  to  abuse  him 
unmercifully  before  the  jury.  Mr.  B.  had  a  son  named 
John,  a  great,  strapping  fellow  of  nineteen.  The 
lawyer's  abuse  became  unbearable,  and  before  John  was 
hardly  aware  of  what  he  was  about,  he  leaped  to  his 
feet  and  knocked  the  lawyer  down. 

John  was  at  once  arrested,  and  fined  fifty  dollars  for 
contempt  of  court.  His  father  paid  the  fine.  The 
lawyer,  having  washed  and  dressed  his  wounds,  re- 
sumed his  ungentlemanly  and  uncalled-for  assault  on 
the  old  man's  character.  The  farmer  looked  at  his  son, 
and  said,  — 

"Well,  John,  I've  got  a  little  more  money." 


I/O 

John  needed  no  second  hint,  but  sprang  at  the  attor- 
ney. That  gentleman,  seeing  his  danger,  leaped  from 
an  open  window  and  ran  down  the  street  at  full  speed, 
pursued  by  John,  while  the  jury  applauded.  The  law- 
yer's dread  of  the  old  man's  son,  and  his  own  long  legs, 
saved  him  from  a  severe  beating,  but  he  lost  his  case. 
The  jury  gave  a  verdict  in  favor  of  the  man  he  had 
abused. 


XXVI.1 
THOMAS    H.    BENTON. 

ON  August  10,  1821,  Missouri  was  declared  a  State. 
The  proposition  to  admit  this  Territory  into  the 
Union  gave  rise  to  a  long  and  bitter  debate  in  Con- 
gress, as  to  whether  it  should  be  admitted  as  a  free  or 
as  a  slave  State.  At  last  the  question  was  settled  by 
a  compromise  which  was  brought  about  mainly  through 
the  efforts  of  Henry  Clay.  A  bill  was  passed  admit- 
ting Missouri  as  a  slave  State,  but  prohibiting  slavery 
in  all  other  States  that  should  be  admitted  to  the 
Union,  north  of  latitude  thirty-six  degrees  and  thirty 
minutes.  This  was  the  "  Missouri  Compromise." 

Missouri's  first  State  election  was  held  in  1820,  be- 
fore she  was  formally  admitted.  Alexander  McNair 
was  chosen  as  the  first  governor.  Other  State  officers, 
including  members  of  the  State  Senate  and  House  of 
Representatives,  were  also  chosen.  The  people  of  the 
State  elected  their  own  representatives  to  Congress,  but 
the  two  United  States  senators  had  to  be  chosen  by  the 
Legislature  or  General  Assembly,  as  the  legislative 
branch  of  the  State  government  was  called.  David 
Barton  was  made  one  senator  without  opposition ;  but 
over  the  second  senatorship  there  arose  a  bitter  contest. 

1  The  material  for  this  chapter  is  partly  from  Switzler's  "  History  of 
Missouri." 

171 


172 


About  the  year  1815  there  came  to  Missouri,  from 
Tennessee,  a  man  who  had  already  distinguished  him- 
self as  a  lawyer  and  statesman,  Thomas  H.  Benton. 
He  was  a  man  of  great  ability,  but  possessed  strong 
prejudices.  His  friends  loved  him,  and  his  enemies 
hated  him.  Benton  was  ambitious  to  put  himself  for- 
ward as  a  candidate  for  United  States  senator,  and  the 

announcement  of  his  intention 
roused  his  foes  and  friends  to 
the  highest  pitch  of  excitement. 
The  rivals  of  Benton  for  the 
office  were  Judge  John  B.  C. 
Lucas,  Henry  Elliott,  John  R. 
Jones,  and  Nathaniel  Cook.  His 
most  formidable  opponent  was 
Judge  Lucas,  a  man  who  was 
honorable  and  popular,  and  who 
had  proved  himself  a  faithful 
public  officer.  Judge  Lucas  was 
not  only  a  political,  but  also  a 
personal  enemy  of  Colonel  Ben- 
ton  ;  for  only  three  years  before,  his  son,  Charles  Lucas, 
had  been  killed  by  Benton  in  a  duel. 

The  General  Assembly  met  at  the  Missouri  Hotel, 
corner  of  Main  and  Morgan  streets,  in  St.  Louis,  Sep- 
tember 19,  1820,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  United 
States  senators.  When  it  became  known  that  Benton 
was  an  aspirant  for  the  office,  he  met  with  the  bitterest 
opposition  that  the  murdered  man's  father  could  arouse  ; 
yet  dueling  in  those  days  was  not  thought  to  be  crim- 
inal, but  honorable,  and  Benton  had  many  warm  friends. 


173 

After  the  unanimous  election  of  the  first  senator,  the 
assembly  proceeded  to  ballot  for  the  other;  but  as  no 
one  of  the  candidates  received  a  majority  of  the  votes, 
there  was  no  choice.  The  members  of  the  Legislature 
voted  again  and  again,  day  after  day,  with  always  a 
similar  result.  The  excitement  which  was  aroused  has 
never  been  equaled  in  any  other  election  in  the  State. 
The  assembly  found  itself  unable  to  come  to  any  de- 
cision. Mr.  Barton  having  been  already  selected,  it 
was  thought  best  to  consult  his  wishes  as  to  which 
man  he  would  prefer  to  have  for  his  colleague ;  and 
he  chose  Benton.  This  added  to  the  strength  of  the 
latter,  but  from  the  great  opposition  to  him  it  still 
seemed  impossible  to  elect  him. 

Judge  Lucas,  powerful  and  influential,  rallied  all  his 
personal  friends  to  his  support,  and  urged  them  to  re- 
main steadfast  in  their  opposition  to  his  rival;  and  the 
other  candidates,  though  losing  part  of  their  support, 
still  remained  in  the  contest. 

One  of  the  men  who  supported  neither  Lucas  nor 
Benton  was  Marie  Le  Due,  a  Frenchman  of  consid- 
erable prominence.  He  lived  in  St.  Louis,  and  had 
been  the  secretary  and  assistant  of  Delassus,  the  last 
Spanish  lieutenant  governor.  Le  Due  was  strongly 
opposed  to  Benton's  election,  and  had  publicly  vowed 
to  cut  off  his  right  hand  before  it  should  ever  cast  a 
vote  for  him. 

Nevertheless,  the  friends  of  Benton  determined  to  win 
Le  Due  over  to  their  side ;  for  it  seemed  to  be  their 
only  chance  of  gaining  the  one  vote  now  lacking  for  a 
majority.  Fortunately  for  Benton,  some  of  his  friends 


174 


had  a  powerful  influence  over  Le  Due.  Among  them 
was  Colonel  Auguste  Chouteau,  one  of  the  founders  of 
St.  Louis,  and  long  a  prominent  figure  in  its  history. 

The  pet  idea  of  Le  Due  was  to  secure  from  Con- 
gress the  confirmation  of  the  French  and  Spanish  land 
claims.  Knowing  this,  the  shrewd  politicians  assailed 
his  weakest  point.  They  assured  him  that  the  race  lay 
between  Benton  and  Lucas,  and  that  the  senator  chosen 
would  surely  decide  the  fate  of  the  land  grants ;  for 
Benton  was  in  favor  of  confirming  them,  while  Lucas 
wanted  them  declared  invalid.  Le  Due  spent  most  of 
one  night  arguing  with  Benton's  friends,  and  ended  by 
consenting  to  act  with  them. 

But  even  now  there  was  still  trouble,  for  the  friends 
of  Benton  remembered  that  one  of  their  number  was 
dangerously  sick,  and  his  vote  was  necessary  for  their 
victory.  This  member  was  Daniel  Rails,  for  whom 
Rails  County  was  afterwards  named.  It  was  necessary 

to  move  quickly,  for 


it  was  feared  that 
Rails  might  die. 
Without  disclosing 
their  plans,  Ben- 
ton's  friends  in  the 
assembly  hastened 
to  have  another 
vote  called  for. 
The  room  occupied 
by  Mr.  Rails  was 
upstairs  in  the  hotel 
where  the  Legisla- 


175 

ture  met,  but  that  day  he  was  too  sick  to  sit  in  a  chair, 
and  almost  too  weak  to  stir.  Therefore,  at  the  proper 
time,  four  negroes  carried  him  into  the  assembly  room 
just  as  he  lay  on  his  bed.  When  his  name  was  called, 
he  voted  for  Thomas  H.  Benton ;  and  this  vote  elected 
Benton  to  the  United  States  Senate,  of  which  he  was  a 
member  for  thirty  years. 

Although  there  was  much  in  the  personal  character 
of  Benton  which  one  cannot  admire,  yet  he  was  an  able 
statesman  of  his  day,  and  his  influence  was  long  felt  in 
Missouri.  His  wisdom  and  patriotism  are  unquestion- 
able. The  darkest  stain  on  his  character  was  the  killing 
of  young  Lucas,  and  this,  it  is  said,  he  never  ceased 
to  regret. 

Mr.  Rails  died  a  few  days  after  the  election  of 
Benton.  That  vote  was  his  last  official  act. 


XXVII. 

SOME   CUSTOMS   AND    PEOPLE   OF   THE 
PAST. 

F^EOPLE  who  have  always  lived  in  comfortable 
homes  in  a  city  or  village,  or  even  on  a  farm,  can- 
not realize  the  difficulties  and  hardships  of  the  pioneer 
in  a  new  country.  The  early  immigrant  in  Missouri 
found  a  land  with  rich  soil,  pure  water,  beautiful  prai- 
ries, and  noble  forests ;  but  what  were  all  these,  com- 
pared with  a  comfortable  home  ? 

It  required  years  of  toil  to  make  a  home  with  even 
a  few  comforts.  The  pioneer  had  to  cut  down  great 
trees,  and  build  himself  a  house,  or  rather  a  cabin, 
which  was  usually  inferior  to  the  ordinary  cow  shed  of 
the  present  time.  He  had  to  turn  up  the  soil  with  a 
poor  plow,  and  sometimes  even  dig  it  up  with  a  grub- 
bing hoe,  in  order  to  get  the  hazel  roots  out.  He  had 
to  split  rails,  make  fences,  build  barns  and  bridges, 
and  perhaps  go  a  hundred  miles  to  mill.  Everything 
had  to  be  done  at  a  sacrifice  of  time  and  labor  which 
would  be  appalling  to  one  of  the  present  age.  After 
all  his  toil,  if  his  farm  should  yield  more  than  he  could 
use,  his  produce  became  a  burden  on  his  hands,  unless 
enough  newcomers  came  in  to  help  him  consume  it. 
Such  a  thing  as  a  market  for  surplus  production  was 
out  of  the  question. 

176 


177 

After  Missouri  became  a  State,  the  pioneer  was  too 
far  advanced  to  dress  wholly  in  buckskin,  like  the 
settlers  who  preceded  him.  The  early  Missourian 
therefore  raised  sheep  and  grew  flax;  and  his  wife 
and  daughters  had  to  spin,  dye,  warp,  and  weave,  and 
make  all  the  clothing  for  the  family,  —  woolen  for 
winter,  and  linen  for  summer  wear. 

Though  the  Indians  had  been  driven  from  his  im- 
mediate neighborhood,  the  Missouri  farmer  still  had 
enemies.  These  were  the  bears,  minks,  raccoons,  crows, 
blackbirds,  and  blue  jays,  which  made  raids  on  his  pig- 
pens, henroosts,  and  cornfields. 

If  the  streams  became  swollen  so  that  he  could  not 
go  to  mill,  and  the  family  were  out  of  bread,  they  had 
to  resort  to  "gritting." 

The  "grrtter"  was  made  from  a  piece  of  tin,  usually 
an  old  coffeepot  flattened  out.  This  was  first  perfo- 
rated all  over  with  a  nail,  all  the  perforations  being 
made  from  the  same  side,  so  that  the  opposite  surface 
was  made  very  rough.  The  tin  was  then  bent  and 
nailed  to  a  board,  with  the  rough,  convex  side  outward. 

If  the  corn  was  hard,  it  was  boiled  until  soft  enough 
to  be  gritted.  If  it.  was  new  corn,  just  "  out  of  the 
roasting  ear,"  or  if  it  had  "just  passed  the  milk,"  it 
did  not  need  to  be  boiled.  The  person  who  did  the 
work  sat  down  and  put  one  end  of  the  gritter  in  a  big 
wooden  tray,  and  the  other  end  between  his  knees. 
Then,  grasping  the  ear  of  corn  by  the  ends,  he  rubbed 
it  over  the  rough  surface,  cutting  off  fine  particles  of 
meal,  which  fell  into  the  tray.  The  meal  was  then 
sifted  and  made  into  corn  bread  in  the  usual  way. 

STO.  OF  MO. —  12 


1 78 

"  Lye  hominy  "  was  another  homemade  luxury,  which 
may  still  be  found  in  some  parts  of  the  State.  It  often 
took  the  place  of  bread,  and  frequently  all  the  food  in 
the  house  was  pork  and  hominy.  This  gave  rise  to 
the  expression  "hog  and  hominy,"  which  in  the  early 
days  of  the  State  was  a  synonym  for  food. 

It  was  impossible  to  get  many  nails,  and  hence  some 
way  had  to  be  devised  for  doing  without  them.  The 
boards  that  covered  the  houses  and  other  buildings 
were  laid  on  in  the  usual  way,  and  then  weighted  down 
with  poles,  which  were  held  in  position  by  wooden  pins. 
The  man  who  owned  an  auger,  a  drawing  knife,  a 
handsaw,  and  a  chisel  was  considered  a  person  of  note. 

After  years  and  years  of  such  toil  and  privation, 
comforts  came.  Cultivation  took  the  wild  nature  out 
of  the  soil;  better  houses  succeeded  the  cabins;  stock 
grew  and  multiplied ;  mills  and  towns  came  nearer ; 
and  schoolhouses  became  more  plentiful,  and  teachers 
better  prepared  for  their  business. 


A  shiftless  class  of  humanity  always  appears  in  the 
second  stage  of  civilization  in  a  new  country.  Missouri 
was  no  exception  to  this  rule,  and  such  a  class  was 
found  within  her  borders  about  the  time  that  the 
Indians  were  driven  out.  These  people  were  called 
"branch-water  men,"  and  some  of  them  may  yet  be 
found  in  the  wildest  parts  of  the  State.  The  "  branch- 
water  man "  is  a  product  peculiar  to  the  West.  He 
is  never  met  with  in  the  East,  and  no  history  of  Europe 
mentions  him.  He  is  usually  descended  from  a  long 


179 

line  of  "branch-water"  ancestry.  He  is  tall,  lank,  and 
stoop-shouldered,  and  has  that  peculiar  listless  air  of 
repose  which  Washington  Irving  tells  us  pervades 
Sleepy  Hollow.  Yet  he  is  a  nomadic  personage.  He 
never  has  a  home,  and  never  wants  one,  unless  he  can 
sell  it  and  "move."  He  is  the  American  gypsy,  without 
the  ability  to  barter  and  trade,  but  he  is  nearly  always 
honest  and  inoffensive. 

The  branch-water  man  lives  back  of  some  other 
man's  farm,  and  drinks  branch  water  in  preference  to 
digging  a  well ;  because  to  dig  a  well  would  cost  him 
some  exertion,  and  he  is  an  enemy  to  anything  like 
labor.  One  can  always  tell  this  man  by  his  dog  and  his 
wagon.  Dr.  King  thus  describes  the  dog  :  — 

"  This  man's  dog  is  a  mongrel.  He  is  a  mixture  of 
all  the  dogs  of  the  meaner  kind  that  you  ever  saw.  He 
is  generally  a  yellow  dog,  and  has  a  long  body,  short 
legs,  and  a  bushy  tail.  As  said  before,  he  is  a  mixture 
of  many  breeds  of  dogs ;  but  he  is  most  of  all  '  branch- 
water  man's  dog.'  When  you  see  that  kind  of  a  dog 
on  the  streets  of  a  country  town,  you  can  find  the 
master  by  going  around  to  the  wood  yard  and  pick- 
ing out  the  man  with  the  smallest,  trashiest,  and 
meanest  load  of  stove  wood  in  the  lot." 

His  wagon  is  always  ancient,  the  sides  showing 
great  indentations  made  by  the  teeth  of  a  horse.  It 
is  a  squeaky  old  affair  which  threatens  every  moment 
to  fall  into  ruins.  The  tires  are  usually  too  large  for 
the  wheels,  and  are  held  on  with  hickory  withes. 

The  team  that  pulls  it  usually  consists  of  a  big 
horse  and  a  small  mule,  or  a  small  horse  and  a  big 


i8o 

mule,  both  old,  feeble,  and  thin  in  flesh.  One  usually 
has  a  big  knee,  and  the  other  a  crooked  leg,  spring 
halt,  or  some  other  bodily  infirmity.  If  the  two  beasts 
possess  one  eye  between  them,  they  are  lucky. 

The  branch-water  man  seldom  remains  longer  than 
one  season  in  a  place.  Then  he  puts  his  wife  and 
several  children  into  the  old  creaky  wagon,  puts  out 
the  fire,  whistles  to  his  dog,  and  is  ready  to  move. 
The  creaky  old  wagon  can  contain  not  only  his  m- 
merous  family,  but  all  his  household  effects  as  well. 


The  young  people  who  grew  up  in  the  days  of  toil 
and  hardship  had  their  enjoyment,  just  as  the  young 
people  do  now.  The  old-time  dances  and  "  frolics,"  as 
they  were  called,  are  still  remembered  with  pleasure  by 
some  of  the  older  residents  of  the  State. 

All  the  young  people  did  not  dance  in  those  days. 
Some  had  religious  scruples  against  it.  The  early 
pioneer  preachers  forbade  it  as  wicked,  and  those 
dances  caused  no  end  of  trouble  and  church  trials. 
But  often  a  young  convert,  at  the  sound  of  the  fiddle, 
could  not  resist  the  temptation,  and  before  he  or  she 
was  hardly  aware  of  it,  was  "  on  the  floor." 

A  substitute  for  this  sort  of  amusement  which  was 
tolerated  by  the  church  members  was  the  "  social 
party,"  "play  party,"  or,  as  they  were  sometimes 
called,  "kissing  bees."  At  these,  such  games  as 
"Weevilly  Wheat,"  "Sister  Phceby,"  "We're  March- 
ing down  to  Old  Quebec,"  and  "  King  William,"  were 
played  for  the  amusement  of  the  young  people. 


If  it  was  announced  that  there  was  to  be  a  dance, 
"frolic,"  or  "kissing  bee"  at  a  house  on  a  certain 
night,  soon  after  dark  the  young  people  would  begin 
to  arrive.  They  came  from  all  parts  of  the  country, 


some  on  foot,  some  on  horseback,  and  a  few,  who  came 
from  a  distance,  in  wagons. 

The  dancing  was  usually  of  the  rudest  sort.  The 
fiddler  sawed  away  on  his  cracked  instrument  all  night 
long  on  such  airs  as  "  Old  Dan  Tucker,"  "Zip  Coon," 


182 

"Natches  under  the  Hill,"  "  Rickets,"  "  Fisher's  Horn- 
pipe," "  Sailor's  Hornpipe,"  "  Run,  Nigger,  Run," 
"Soap  Suds,"  "Great  Big  Tater  in  the  Sandy  Land," 
and  others  of  like  character.  When  not  engaged  in 
dancing  or  talking  with  the  girls,  the  young  men  usually 
discussed  farming,  logging,  or  clearing  off  the  forest  and 
plowing  the  ground. 


In  every  settlement  there  were  enough  pious  people 
to  get  together  and  found  a  church.  At  first  the  meet- 
ings were  held  in  the  people's  houses,  but  after  a  while 
in  schoolhouses;  and  then,  as  the  population  became 
more  dense,  a  log  church  was  erected.  A  traveling 
preacher,  usually  called  a  "circuit  rider,"  was  engaged 
to  come  and  preach  to  the  people  once  a  month,  or 
maybe  only  once  in  every  two  months. 

Several  years  later,  when  the  congregation  became 
larger  and  had  more  money,  a  Sunday  school  was 
organized.  A  superintendent  was  chosen,  and  teach- 
ers volunteered  to  instruct  the  children.  Little  boys 
and  girls,  barefooted  and  dressed  in  homespun,  were  at 
these  schools  every  Sunday,  and  in  them  many  laid 
the  foundation  of  an  excellent  education. 

Though  the  people  on  the  frontier  endured  much, 
they  were  free  from  many  annoyances  which  civiliza- 
tion brings,  and  perhaps,  on  the  whole,  enjoyed  life 
as  much  as  their  more  refined  descendants. 


XXVIII. 
THE   NEW   CAPITAL. 

ST.  LOUIS  was  the  center  of  commerce  in  Missouri, 
but  so  many  settlements  had  sprung  up  in  the 
interior  that  it  was  not  a  convenient  point  for  the 
capital  of  the  State.  Members  of  the  Legislature  com- 
plained that  they  had  too  great  a  distance  to  travel. 

"  Why,  I  have  to  start  a  month  before  I'm  elected,  to 
reach  the  capital  in  time  for  the  opening  of  the  Legisla- 
ture," said  one  member,  who  lived  far  in  the  interior. 

In  1821  the  capital  was  changed  to  St.  Charles,  but 
even  this  location  was  not  sufficiently  central.  Immi- 
grants were  pushing  out  upon  the  broad  prairies  and 
into  the  deep  forests,  and  districts  which  were  a  wilder- 
ness but  a  short  time  before  were  rapidly  being  filled 
with  frontiersmen's  cabins.  Farmers,  traders,  and  salt 
makers  had  settled  all  over  the  Boones  Lick  country. 

The  members  of  the  Legislature  declared  that  they 
must  have  a  new  capital ;  and  it  was  decided  to  select 
some  place  which  was  favorable  in  other  respects,  and 
at  the  same  time  would  be  easy  of  access  to  the  mem- 
bers from  the  different  parts  of  the  State. 

Five  commissioners  were  appointed  to  choose  the 
site.  They  were  John  Thornton  of  Howard  County, 
Robert  Gray  Watson  of  New  Madrid  County,  John  B. 

183 


1 84 


White  of  Pike  County,  James  Logan  of  Wayne  County, 
and  Jesse  B.  Boone  of  Montgomery  County. 

The  revised  constitution  of  the  State  required  that 
the  capital  be  located  on  the  Missouri  River  within 
forty  miles  of  the  mouth  of  the  Osage.  The  commis- 
sioners set  out  on  their  expedition,  went  up  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Osage,  and  proceeded  to  inspect  the  coun- 
try along  the  shores  of  the  Missouri. 

The  settlers -in  that  part  of  the 
State  were  often  puzzled  to 
know  what  the  committee- 
men  were  doing. 

"  Say,  are  you  fellows 
hunting     salt      or     bee 
trees  ?  "   asked  an  old 
hunter,      when      he 
came  upon  them. 

"  We  are  hunting 
for    a    location    for 
the    capital,"    answered 
one  of  the  committeemen. 

The    old    man    gazed    at 

them  for  a  moment  in  open-mouthed  astonishment.     He 
was  ashamed  to  display  his  ignorance  by  asking  for  an 
explanation,  and  yet  was  unable  to  fathom  the  meaning 
of  the  answer.     After  a  moment's  silence,  he  took  his 
gun  from  his  shoulder,  and,  shaking  his  head,  said,  — 
"There's  no  such  beast  in  these  woods." 
The  committeemen   then  explained   that  they  were 
seeking  a  location  for  the  State  buildings,  including  a 
prison.     This  did  not  please  the  old  hunter. 


"We  don't  want  them,"  he  said.  "  What  do  we  want 
with  prisons  ?  I  came  here  to  be  free,  and  as  long  as 
you  keep  away  with  your  laws  and  prisons  I  shall  be. 
We  don't  do  anything  here  to  go  to  prison  for,  and  if 
you'll  keep  away  with  them,  we'll  all  get  along  first 
rate." 

The  commissioners  did  not  waste  much  time  arguing 
with  this  man,  whose  ideas  of  civilization  were  so  differ- 
ent from  their  own. 

After  examining  many  locations,  they  decided  upon 
the  spot  where  Jefferson  City  now  stands.  The  land 
was  surveyed,  and  the  commissioners  returned  to  St. 
Charles  and  made  their  report,  which  was  approved  by 
the  governor  .and  the  General  Assembly. 

In  1822,  men  were  sent  out  to  survey  the  new  town 
and  lay  it  out  in  lots.  It  was  called  Jefferson  City  in 
honor  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  the  third  President  of  the 
United  States. 

Work  was  immediately  begun  upon  the  State  build- 
ing, and  a  village  soon  sprang  up  about  it.  The  capitol 
was  erected  on  the  four  sections  of  land  donated  to 
Missouri  by  the  United  States  government.  It  was 
made  of  brick,  and  stood  on  precisely  the  same  site  as 
that  on  which  the  governor's  mansion  now  stands.  It 
was  large  enough  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  State,  but  it 
was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1837;  arjd  the  oldest  portion 
of  the  present  capitol  was  erected  in  the  next  year. 

During  the  year  1825,  while  the  first  building  was 
in  course  of  construction,  Marquis  de  Lafayette,  then 
visiting  the  United  States,  honored  Missouri  with 
his  presence.  He  was  received  at  St.  Louis  with  every 


1 86 

demonstration  of  joy  and  gratitude,  and  as  much  patri- 
otism was  displayed  as  if  Missouri  had  been  one  of  the 
original  thirteen  colonies. 

Next  year  (in  1826),  the  new  State  building  was  far 
enough  advanced  for  the  Legislature  to  meet  at  the  new 
capital.  It  was  the  fourth  meeting  of  this  body  since 
Missouri  had  become  a  State.  Jefferson  City  was  at 
this  time  only  a  little  backwoods  village,  and  most  of 
the  buildings  were  of  logs.  Hotel  accommodations 
were  poor,  and  when  the  legislators  met  it  was  difficult 
to  provide  for  them. 

There  is  a  story  told  of  an  enterprising  landlord  who 
established  a  unique  hotel  in  the  new  capital.  His 
building  was  a  board  structure,  one  story  in  height  and 
without  a  floor.  The  office  occupied  the  front  part 
of  the  building,  and  the  dining  room  and  kitchen,  the 
rear.  A  newly  elected  member  of  the  Legislature  asked 
if  he  could  be  provided  here  with  board  and  lodging. 

"Certainly,"  answered  the  landlord.  "  That  is  what 
I  am  here  for." 

"  Have  you  a  comfortable  room  and  bed  ? " 

"  Yes,  sir,  plenty  of  good  rooms  and  beds.  I  will 
give  you  number  fifteen." 

The  member,  who  could  see  nothing  but  the  front 
office  and  the  kitchen,  sat  until  supper  was  announced, 
puzzling  his  brain  to  locate  room  number  fifteen. 

Soon  after  the  meal,  he  expressed  a  wish  to  retire  ; 
and  the  landlord,  seizing  a  tallow  candle,  led  him  to  an 
open  space  of  ground  in  the  rear  of  his  board  house. 
Here  a  row  of  tents  had  been  pitched,  and  before  one 
of  them  was  stuck  a  pine  board  on  which  was  rudely 


painted,   "No.   15."     Inside  the  tent  was  a  rude  cot,  on 
which  the  legislator  reposed. 

The  first  capitol  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  twenty-five 
thousand  dollars.  It  was  a  simple  two-story  structure, 
without  any  architectural  ornamentation.  The  House 
of  Representatives  met  on  the  lower  floor,  while  the 
Senate  was  "upstairs."  Many  anecdotes  are  told  of 


the  mistakes 

of  members  at  the 

first  meeting  in  the  new 

building.     It  is  said  that  one  member  of  the  House  of 

Representatives  took  his  credentials   to    the    clerk   of 

the  Senate. 

"This  does  not  belong  here,"  said  the  clerk.     "You 
must  take  this  to  the  lower  house." 

"Where  is  that?" 

"Downstairs." 

"Why,  I   saw  those  fellows    down  there,"   said  the 
member,   "but  I  thought  it  was  a  grocery." 


XXIX. 

THE   BIG    NECK   WAR.  — THE    PLATTE 
PURCHASE. 

DOWN  to  the  year  1824,  the  extreme  northern  part 
of  Missouri,  or  what  now  comprises  the  three 
northern  tiers  of  counties,  was  unsettled  by  white  men, 
and  was  claimed  by  the  Iowa  Indians.  In  that  year,  a 
delegation  of  chiefs  and  warriors,  headed  by  White 
Cloud,  went  to  Washington  with  General  William  Clark, 
ex-governor  of  Missouri.  Here  a  treaty  was  made,  by 
the  terms  of  which  the  Indians  ceded  to  the  whites  all 
their  lands  in  Missouri  —  amounting  to  about  two  million 
acres.  In  return  for  this,  they  were  to  receive  five 
hundred  dollars  a  year  for  ten  years :  as  was  usually 
the  case  with  Indian  treaties,  advantage  was  taken  of 
savage  ignorance. 

The  counties  of  Platte,  Buchanan,  Andrew,  Holt, 
Atchison,  and  Nodaway  were  not  at  that  time  a  part 
of  Missouri;  for,  as  we  shall  soon  see,  they  were  ac- 
quired by  the  Platte  purchase  in  1837.  In  1824,  this 
district  was  reserved  for  the  Indians,  and  they  were 
to  remove  to  it. 

Among  the  Indians  who  took  part  in  this  treaty  was 
a  celebrated  brave  called,  in  English,  Big  Neck.  He 
was  not  an  hereditary  chief,  but  a  bold  warrior  who  by 

188 


1 89 

his  ability  had  raised  himself  to  the  leadership  of  a 
band  in  his  tribe.  He  was  very  ambitious,  and  was 
exceedingly  jealous  of  the  hereditary  chiefs.  With  a 
band  of  about  sixty,  he  separated  himself  from  the 
others,  and,  disregarding  the  authority  of  the  chiefs, 
roamed  about  the  country  wherever  he  pleased. 

His  favorite  hunting  grounds  were  the  vast  tracts  of 
land  drained  by  the  Chariton  and  Grand  rivers  in  north- 
ern Missouri.  The  Chariton  was  abundantly  supplied 
with  fish,  while  deer  and  elk  in  great  numbers  roamed 
over  the  prairies  and  through  the  woods  of  what  is 
now  included  in  Adair,  Macon,  Schuyler,  and  Putnam 
counties.  Big  Neck  claimed  that  he  did  not  compre- 
hend the  treaty  of  1824,  by  which  he  relinquished  his 
lands  in  Missouri.  He  said  it  was  his  understanding, 
when  he  signed  the  treaty,  that  he  and  his  band  were 
to  be  allowed  to  live  along  the  Chariton  River  for  ten 
years.  He  was  told  he  must  rejoin  his  tribe,  and  live 
under  the  authority  of  his  tribal  chief,  Mahakah.  This 
he  refused  to  do,  and  for  two  years  made  his  home 
on  the  Chariton. 

In  1828,  most  of  the  Indians  having  moved  according 
to  the  treaty,  settlements  were  made  along  the  Chariton 
River ;  and  a  year  later,  the  county  of  Randolph  was 
formed,  which  included  a  large  part  of  north  Missouri. 
One  of  the  settlements,  known  as  the  "  Cabins  of  the 
White  Folks,"  was  made  near  the  present  site  of  Kirks- 
ville ;  it  did  not  contain  more  than  a  dozen  families. 
Prior  to  this,  there  had  been  some  cattle  grazers  in  the 
Chariton  country,  and  it  had  also  become  a  noted  resort 
for  bee  hunters. 


190 


In   July,    1829,    Big    Neck    and    his    band    of    sixty 
Indians  came  down  from  the  north,  and  encamped  on 
the  Chariton  about  nine  miles  northwest  of  the  Cabins 
of  the  White  Folks.     One  day,  some  of 
these  Indians,  while  hunting  along   the 
Chariton  bottom,  came  upon  a  drove  of 
hogs  belonging  to  the  white  men,  and 
their  dogs  killed  several. 

Next  day  three  bold 
frontiersmen,  Isaac 
Gross,  John  Cain,  and 
Jim  Myers,  visited  Big 
Neck  at    his   camp, 
and    not    only    pro- 
tested against  the  con- 
duct of  the  Indians,  but 
insisted  that  they  must 
leave  Missouri. 

"  This  country  now 
belongs  to  us,"  said  the  white  men, 
"  and   you    must   leave   it.     You 
signed  away  your  right  to  it, 
and  now  you  must  pay  us  for  the 
hogs  you' have  killed,  go  away, 
and  never  come  back  again." 

"I  did  not  sign  the  treaty," 
Big  Neck  defiantly  replied.  "I  have  come  back  here 
to  live,  and  you  must  take  your  cattle  and  go  away ; 
or,  if  you  want  to  fight,  come  on !  "  His  warriors,  with 
loaded  guns  in  their  hands,  crowded  about  him ;  and 
the  white  men,  becoming  alarmed,,  went  away. 


This  is  the  white  men's  version  of  the  cause  of  the 
trouble,  but  the  Indians  tell  a  quite  different  story. 
One  of  their  band,  called  Iowa  Jim,  said  that  the  whites 
came  upon  them  while  they  were  in  camp  resting  from 
their  journey,  gave  them  whisky,  and  made  them 
drunk.  The  white  men  then  robbed  them  of  their 
horses  and  blankets,  mistreated  their  women  and  chil- 
dren, and  left.  Recovering  from  their  debauch,  the 
Indians  were  hungry,  and  one  of  them  shot  a  hog  and 
brought  it  into  camp.  Big  Neck  rebuked  the  forager 
for  this,  saying,  — 

"  It  is  true  that  we  have  been  robbed,  and  are  hun- 
gry ;  but  the  hog  was  not  ours,  and  you  should  not 
have  shot  it." 

Whichever  may  be  the  true  story,  the  settlers,  after 
their  interview  with  the  Indians,  hurried  back  to  their 
cabins,  and,  gathering  up  what  property  they  could, 
went  with  their  families  down  into  what  is  now  Ran- 
dolph County,  to  the  home  of  William  Blackwell,  in 
Silver  Creek  settlement.  In  a  few  hours,  the  news  of 
the  trouble  had  spread  throughout  the  little  town,  and 
a  company  was  formed  to  drive  the  Indians  out.  A 
messenger  was  also  dispatched  to  Howard  County,  to 
notify  the  authorities  there.  By  ten  o'clock  on  the 
morning  of  the  25th,  a  party  of  volunteers,  numbering 
between  forty  and  seventy-five  men,  set  out  for  the 
"  Cabins,"  under  the  command  of  Captain  Trammell. 
They  reached  the  place  on  the  morning  of  the  2/th.  A 
council  was  held,  and  it  was  decided  to  proceed  to  the 
Indian  camp,  and  compel  the  Indians  to  leave  the  country. 
Myers,  Gross,  and  Cain  accompanied  the  volunteers. 


192 

Big  Neck  and  his  band  had  retired  some  distance  up 
the  Chariton,  and  had  gone  into  camp  at  a  point  near 
the  Schuyler  County  line.  The  whites  advanced  to 
within  sight  of  the  camp,  and  then  halted  to  recon- 
noiter.  Captain  Trammell  swung  his  men  around 
to  the  north,  and,  coming  up,  formed  a  line  in  the  rear 
of  the  Indians.  Dismounting  his  men,  and  leaving 
every  fourth  one  to  hold  horses,  the  captain  advanced 
toward  the  wigwams  with  the  others,  calling  for  the 
interpreter.  Iowa  Jim  stepped  forward,  gun  in  hand, 
and  Captain  Trammell  said,  — 

"  You  must  leave  this  country  at  once,  and  stay  away. 
The  land  belongs  to  the  whites,  and  you  have  no  right 
here." 

Through  his  interpreter,  Big  Neck  answered,  — 

"The  land  is  ours.  We  will  leave  when  we  please. 
I  am  going  to  see  the  red-headed  governor  (General 
Clark)  about  it,  and  he  will  say  I  am  right." 

Captain  Trammell  was  cool.  He  told  the  Indians 
that  he  did  not  wish  to  fight,  but  that  they  were  tres- 
passers in  the  country,  and  must  depart.  He  made 
no  serious  objection  to  their  peaceably  entering  the 
country  to  fish  and  hunt,  but  a  permanent  occupation 
since  the  recent  trouble  would  be  wholly  impossible. 
Big  Neck  was  inclined  to  assent  to  the  demands  of 
Trammell,  and  all  seemed  in  a  fair  way  to  be  adjusted 
without  bloodshed. 

But  some  of  the  whites  were  determined  to  bring  on 
a  fight.  They  had  marched  far  and  suffered  much, 
and,  besides,  they  were  angry.  Trammell,  seeing  the 
restless  feeling  of  his  men,  rode  back  to  the  main  line, 


193 

which  was  advancing,  and  ordered  them  to  keep  their 
places.  Some  of  the  Indians  were  seen  to  take  posi- 
tion behind  trees,  and  hurriedly  load  their  guns.  Milton 
Bozarth  discovered  an  Indian  behind  a  tree  priming 
his  rifle.  He  called  out  to  Jim  Myers,  whose  attention 
was  in  another  direction,  — 

"  Look  out,  Jim,  or  he  will  shoot  you  !  " 

Jim  Myers,  without  waiting  for  any  orders,  raised 
his  gun  and  shot  the  Indian  down.  This  Indian  was 
the  brother  of  Big  Neck.  As  he  fell,  mortally  wounded, 
he  uttered  a  terrible  yell.  Powell  Owenby  fired,  killing 
a  little  girl,  the  child  of  the  Indian  that  Myers  had  just 
slain.  William  Winn  shot  and  killed  the  mother  of  the 
child. 

The  Indian  women,  with  characteristic  shrieks  and 
yells,  began  to  run  away,  while  the  warriors,  with  guns 
loaded  and  bows  strung,  charged  the  whites.  Volleys 
were  exchanged  at  close  quarters.  The  savages  fought 
well,  firing  from  behind  trees  and  logs.  Their  steady 
aim,  together  with  their  war  whoops  and  savage  yells, 
was  too  much  for  the  whites,  and  all  but  about  fifteen 
fled  at  the  first  onset. 

The  main  body  of  white  men,  having  gained  their 
horses,  mounted  and  rode  away ;  but  Jim  Myers,  who 
had  fired  the  first  shot,  was  killed  before  he  could  reach 
his  horse.  Powell  Owenby  had  mounted  and  was  riding 
away,  when  the  animal,  maddened  by  the  flash  and 
report  of  guns,  became  unmanageable,  and  threw  him 
into  a  thicket,  where  the  Indians  found  him,  still  stunned 
by  the  fall.  Thfere  they  quickly  shot  him  to  death. 
Winn  had  his  thigh  broken  by  a  bullet,  and  lay  helpless 

STO.  OF   MO. —  13 


194 

on  the  battlefield.  A  number  of  other  whites  were 
also  wounded.  Captain  Trammell  was  struck  by  an 
arrow,  and  rode  over  a  hundred  miles  with  the  weapon 
in  his  body.  He  died  a  few  days  later  from  the  wound. 

The  Indians  found  Winn,  built  a  fire,  and  threw  him 
upon  it,  but  he  was  dragged  from  the  flames,  killed,  and 
scalped^  by  Big  Neck.  Owenby  and  Myers  were  also 
scalped,  and  then  the  savages  left  the  country.  An 
army  of  militia  was  called  out,  and  marched  to  the  scene 
of  the  trouble,  but,  as  the  savages  had  left,  there  was 
nothing  for  it  to  do  but  to  bury  the  dead.  Only  one 
Indian  was  found,  and  he  was  some  distance  from  the 
scene  of  the  conflict,  sitting  against  a  tree,  stark  and  stiff 
in  death.  He  was  richly  decorated,  and  was  supposed 
to  be  the  chief's  brother,  whom  Jim  Myers  had  killed. 

Big  Neck  himself  and  five  others  were  afterwards 
arrested,  tried  before  a  jury  of  frontiersmen,  and  ac- 
quitted. This  assures  one  that  the  Indians  were  less 
to  blame  than  the  whites.  Big  Neck  never  again 
entered  Missouri.  When  he  learned  that  he  was  to  be 
banished  from  the  hunting  grounds  of  his  fathers,  he 
covered  his  head  with  his  blanket,  and  said  that  he  was 
ashamed  for  the  sun  to  shine  upon  him. 


The  Black  Hawk  War  in  Illinois  in  1831-32  caused 
the  inhabitants  of  north  Missouri  great  uneasiness. 
Several  companies  and  regiments  were  called  out,  and, 
acting  on  false  alarms,  they  made  some  long  marches 
but  did  no  fighting.  Blockhouses  and  forts  were  built 
for  protection,  but  were  not  needed.  However,  it  was 


195 

no  doubt  due  to  the  extraordinary  precaution  of  the 
governor  that  an  invasion  of  Missouri  was  averted. 
This  ended  the  Indian  troubles  in  Missouri. 


An  important  event  in  the  history  of  Missouri  oc- 
curred in  1837.  It  was  tne  Platte  purchase,  by  which 
a  valuable  tract  of  land  was  added  to  the  already  large 
State.  The  idea  originated  with  General  Andrew  S. 
Hughes  at  a  regimental  muster  in  the  summer  of  1835. 

At  this  meeting  General  Hughes  proposed  the  acqui- 
sition of  the  Platte  country,  inhabited  by  the  Sac  and 
Fox  Indians.  The  matter  was  called  to  the  attention 
of  Congress.  Senator  Benton  and  his  colleagues  in 
both  houses  were  in  favor  of  it,  and  an  act  was  accord- 
ingly passed  to  extend  the  boundary  of  Missouri  so  as 
to  include  the  triangle  between  the  existing  line  and 
the  Missouri  River.  The  Indians  were  removed  to 
what  is  now  Kansas. 

The  Platte  purchase  included  all  that  portion  of 
the  State  west  of  a  line  extending  from  Kansas  City 
northward  to  the  Iowa  line.  As  said  above,  this  tract 
is  now  divided  into  the  counties  of  Atchison,  Andrew, 
Buchanan,  Holt,  Nodaway,  and  Platte ;  and  to-day  it 
is  among  the  most  fertile  and  beautiful  portions  of 
Missouri. 


XXX. 

THE   MORMONS. 

ABOUT  the  time  of  the  expulsion  of  the  Indians 
from  north  Missouri,  the  central  and  western  por- 
tions of  the  State  were  agitated  by  a  religious  fanati- 
cism which  in  some  respects  surpassed  that  of  the 
Fanatical  Pilgrims.  This  new  religious  sect  called 
themselves  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day 
Saints ;  but  the  common  name  for  them  was  Mormons. 
Their  leader  was  Joseph  Smith,  who  declared  that  he 
had  received  revelations  from  Heaven,  with  the  com- 
mand to  found  a  new  church. 

He  also  claimed  to  have  discovered  some  mysterious 
plates,  which,  by  divine  direction,  he  dug  from  the 
earth  in  the  western  part  of  New  York  State.  These 
plates  he  interpreted  and  published  as  the  Book  of 
Mormon,  sometimes  called  the  Mormon  Bible.  He  at 
once  began  preaching  his  new  religion,  and  about  the 
year  1831,  with  a  number  of  converts,  he  removed  to 
Kirtland,  Ohio. 

Historians  and  biographers  have  dealt  very  harshly 
with  Joseph  Smith.  He  is  represented  by  some  as  an 
unprincipled,  lazy  fellow,  who  should  have  been  sent 
to  the  penitentiary  early  in  his  career.  He  seems  to 
have  been  subject  to  periodical  backslidings,  occasion- 

196 


197 

ally  professing  religion,  then  falling  from  grace  and 
becoming  again  a  drunken  loafer. 

At  last,  however,  according  to  his  own  statement, 
the  angel  of  the  Lord  appeared  unto  him  in  a  vision, 
pardoned  his  sins,  and  told  him  where  to  find  the  mys- 
terious plates  upon  which  he  was  to  found  the  church 
of  "  Latter  Day  Saints." 

In  many  respects,  the  Mormons  were  like  the  Fanat- 
ical Pilgrims.  The  head  of  their  government,  spiritual 
and  temporal,  was  a  prophet,  and,  like  the  prophet  of 
the  pilgrims,  he  had  visions.  Like  the  pilgrims,  also, 
the  Mormons  journeyed  southwest  in  search  of  "  Zion  " 
or  the  New  Jerusalem.  It  was  to  find  this  holy  spot 
that  Smith  visited  Missouri  in  1831,  and  there  the 
search  ended,  for  Independence,  Jackson  County, 
seemed  to  fulfill  the  conditions.  Smith  named  this 
place  "The  New  Jerusalem,"  and  then  returned  to 
Kirtland. 

Next  year,  the  prophet  visited  Missouri  with  many 
followers,  who  all  located  in  Jackson  County.  They 
had  considerable  money,  for  they  entered  several  hun- 
dred acres  of  land,  most  of  which  was  west  of  In- 
dependence. They  professed  to  own  all  things  in 
common,  which  really  meant,  however,  that  the  bishops 
and  prophet  owned  everything.  They  established  a 
newspaper,  —  the  first  in  the  county,  —  and  called  it 
TJie  Evening  .Star.  In  this  journal,  the  revelations  of 
the  prophet  appeared  in  weekly  installments.  These 
revelations  promised  great  things  to  the  true  believers, 
but  foretold  terrible  consequences  to  the  Gentiles,  as 
they  called  all  not  Mormons. 


198 


The  Gentiles  at  first  merely  ridiculed  the  prophecies 
thus  published ;  but  it  was  not  long  before  these 
prophecies  became  bold  threats.  Joseph  Smith  and 
his  Mormon  bishops  promised  the  faithful  that  they 
would  drive  out  the  Gentiles  and  take  the  country. 
They  even  declared  their  intention  to  unite 
the  Indians  of  the  north  with  themselves, 
and  to  drive  away  all  opponents  of 
Mormonism.  They  said  that 
it  was  the  Lord's  coun- 
try, and  that  the 
Lord's  people  were 
entitled  to  it. 

Incensed  by  such 
expressions  from 
press  and  pulpit,  the 
Gentiles  in  and  near 
Independence  rose 
in  a  body,  destroyed 
the  printing  office, 
and  tarred  and  feath- 
ered the  bishop,  with 
one  or  two  of  his  companions. 
This  was  in  July,  1833.  The  Mormons  were  not  slow 
to  retaliate,  and  other  deeds  of  violence  led  to  a  fray  in 
which  three  men  were  killed.  Then  on  November  2 
the  Mormons  marched  to  destroy  the  town  of  Inde- 
pendence, but  turned  back  on  the  appearance  of  a  large 
body  of  Gentiles.  Negotiations  for  peace  were  entered 
into,  and  it  was  finally  decided  that  the  Mormons  were 
to  leave  that  part  of  the  country,  never  to  return.  The 


199 

Gentiles  were  to  pay  them  for  the  Star  printing  office, 
and  they  were  given  until  the  end  of  the  year  to  leave 
Jackson  County. 

The  exodus  commenced  at  once.  The  Mormons 
crossed  the  Missouri  River  and  settled  in  Clay  and 
Carroll  counties,  but  afterwards  moved  into  Caldwell 
County,  where  they  built  up  a  town  called  Far  West. 
Its  site  is  now  in  the  middle  of  a  cultivated  field,  not 
far  from  Kingston.  Among  its  buildings  was  the  home 
of  Joseph  Smith,  —  a  small,  substantial  frame  structure, 
of  one  and  a  half  stories  ;  and  in  the  center  of  the 
town  was  left  a  space  for  a  large  and  splendid  temple. 
The  Mormons,  however,  did  not  begin  work  on  this 
temple  till  the  year  1837,  and  so  it  was  never  built. 

All  this  time  the  prophet  and  others  were  engaged  in 
making  converts  to  the  new  faith.  Mormon  mission- 
aries spread  over  most  of  the  United  States  and  several 
European  countries,  and  they  sent  many  new  believers 
to  settle  near  Far  West.  These  recruits  laid  out  farms, 
built  houses,  and  quickly  changed  the  wilderness  into  a 
prosperous  community.  The  Mormon  settlements  ex- 
tended into  Livingston,  Carroll,  Daviess,  and  Clinton 
counties.  Far  West  was  for  a  time  their  only  town; 
but  it  was  laid  out  on  a  grand  scale,  and  it  became 
an  important  commercial  center. 

Whatever  else  may  be  said  of  the  Mormon  people 
while  in  Missouri,  they  cannot  be  accused  of  lacking 
energy  and  industry.  It  is  true  that  as  a  rule  they 
were  not  well  educated,  but  they  were  nearly  always 
thrifty  and  prosperous.  If  their  religion  had  been  less 
obnoxious,  and  they  had  been  more  charitable  to  their 


200 

neighbors,  and  if  they  had  not  adopted  unlawful  prac- 
tices, they  might  have  long  remained  a  power  in  the 
State.  But  in  addition  to  advocating  polygamy,  they 
still  claimed  that  they  were  God's  chosen  children,  and 
thus  were  entitled  to  everything. 

The  prosperity  of  the  Mormon  settlements  drew  to 
that  part  of  the  State  many  good  and  industrious  people 
who  did  not  partake  of  their  peculiar  notions.  The 
Mormons  became  very  jealous  of  these  unbelievers,  as 
they  called  them,  and  determined  to  drive  them  away. 
Bands  of  lawless  Mormons  began  to  wander  over 
the  country,  plundering  the  Gentiles  indiscriminately. 
Many  members  of  the  new  sect  were  undoubtedly  sin- 
cere, and  desired  to  do  right;  but,  beside  them,  under  a 
cloak  of  religion  and  fanaticism,  many  bad  men  sought 
to  enrich  themselves. 

The  Gentiles,  with  great  alarm,  noticed  the  growing 
strength  and  proportionate  lawlessness  of  this  religious 
body,  but  were  powerless  to  prevent  them.  Nearly  all 
the  offices  were  under  Mormon  control,  and  if  a  band  of 
these  robbers  were  arrested,  they  were  tried  before 
Mormon  officials  and  juries,  and  were  acquitted.  The 
Gentiles  had  the  sympathy  of  the  people  outside  the 
Mormon  districts ;  and,  had  not  those  misguided  fanat- 
ics believed  so  implicitly  in  Joseph  Smith's  prophecies, 
they  must  have  seen  that  they  were  laying  the  founda- 
tion of  their  own  ruin.  The  schemes  of  the  prophet 
were  so  wild  and  unreasonable  as  to  cause  one  to  doubt 
his  sanity.  But  the  followers  of  Black  Hawk,  Big  Neck, 
and  other  Indian  chiefs  were  still  smarting  under  their 
defeat ;  and  his  plan  to  unite  all  the  Indians  with  his 


2OI 

Mormon  followers,  and  sweep  the  Gentiles  from  the 
earth,  seemed  not  impossible  to  the  Missourians. 

A  small  colony  of  Mormons  had  located  at  De  Witt, 
in  Carroll  County,  and  the  people  determined  to  drive 
them  out.  About  this  time  trouble  arose  also  between 
the  Mormons  and  Gentiles  in  Daviess  County.  The 
people  here  were  anxious  to  elect  officials  who  would 
punish  Mormon  offenders,  and  the  only  way  to  do  it 
was  to  disfranchise  all  of  that  sect.  This  was  attempted 
at  an  election  held  near  Gallatin,  and  a  fight  was  the 
result.  The  citizens  of  Daviess  County  called  on  the 
people  of  Carroll  to  aid  them  in  driving  out  the  ob- 
noxious foe.  The  men  of  Carroll  County  responded 
heartily;  but,  while  they  were  assisting  in  the  suppres- 
sion of  the  disorders  of  their  neighbors,  the  Mormons 
took  advantage  of  their  absence  from  home  to  send 
many  recruits  to  De  Witt. 

Here  the  Mormons  showed  signs  of  making  a  stand. 
The  Gentiles,  to  the  number  of  four  or  five  hundred, 
surrounded  their  camp,  and  organized  a  little  army. 
Congreve  Jackson,  of  Howard  County,  was  elected 
brigadier  general ;  Ebenezer  Price,  of  Clay,  was  made 
.colonel;  Singleton  Vaughn,  lieutenant  colonel;  and 
Sarchel  Woods,  major.  Under  these  officers,  the  brigade 
spent  ten  days  in  drilling,  and  then  began  an  attack  on 
the  Mormons  ;  but  they  desisted  after  a  few  shots  were 
exchanged. 

Matters  were  finally  adjusted  peaceably,  when  the 
Mormons  agreed  to  sell  their  possessions  to  the  Gentiles, 
and  to  leave  the  county.  At  the  last  moment,  however, 
the  arrival  of  Lyman  Wright,  a  Mormon  colonel,  with 


202 

one  hundred  recruits,  came  near  inducing  the  Mormons 
to  rescind  their  agreement  to  leave.  But  after  consider- 
able discussion,  they  removed  to  Livingston  and  Daviess 
counties. 

Settlements  of  Mormons  had  grown  up  at  a  few  other 
places,  though  their  principal  town  was  still  Far  West, 
and  all  efforts  to  dislodge  them  were,  for  a  time,  in 
vain.  After  the  trouble  at  the  election  near  Gallatin, 
the  Mormons  formed  the  plan  of  compelling  all  the 
Gentiles  to  leave  the  country.  They  resorted  to  every 
sort  of  violence,  driving  people  from  their  homes,  de- 
stroying their  household  goods,  and  burning  their  build- 
ings. Mr.  Levi  F.  Goben,  a  resident  of  Livingston 
County,  said  that  he  himself  saw  a  ravine  filled  with 
the  furniture  of  the  Gentiles,  which  the  Mormons  had 
thrown  there. 

A  band  of  destroying  angels,  as  they  called  them- 
selves, went  to  the  house  of  a  man  named  Bogard. 
Mr.  Bogard's  wife  was  sick,  but  they  made  her  get  out 
of  bed,  and  leave  the  house,  which  they  soon  burned. 
She  carried  her  babe  in  her  arms,  and,  after  going  a 
little  way,  fell  at  the  roadside  from  weakness  ;  and  then 
a  Mormon  named  Allred  took  the  ramrod  from  his  gun 
and  whipped  her,  to  make  her  rise  and  travel  further. 

The  above  are  only  instances  of  the  many  conflicts 
and  outrages  that  marked  the  struggle  between  the 
Mormons  and  their  opponents.  In  1838  the  disorders 
became  so  serious  as  to  threaten  civil  war.  Mormon 
offenders  resisted  arrest,  and  were  supported  by  the 
armed  resistance  of  their  fellow-believers.  Finally, 
Governor  Boggs  issued  a  proclamation  ordering  out  the 


203 

militia  to  put  down  the  insurrection  and  enforce  the 
laws,  and  General  Alexander  W.  Doniphan  was  sent  to 
the  scene  of  the  trouble,  with  part  of  the  first  brigade 
of  the  State  troops. 

The  Mormon  force,  numbering  about  one  thousand 
men,  was  led  by  G.  W.  Hinkle.  Their  first  encounter 
with  the  militia  was  a  slight  skirmish  on  Crooked  River, 
which  resulted  in  the  killing  of  a  Mormon  named  David 
Patton,  —  "  Captain  Fear-not,"  as  he  styled  himself,  — 
the  leader  of 'the  "  destroying  angels." 

The  only  engagement  of  any  importance,  however, 
was  at  Haughns  Mill,  about  fifteen  miles  east  of  Far 
West.  There  is  no  official  report  of  this  battle,  and  the 
account  given  in  this  chapter  is  from  the  lips  of  a  sur- 
vivor of  the  bloody  affray. 

The  election  trouble  in  1838,  followed  by  the  effort 
on  the  part  of  the  Mormons  to  drive  out  the  Gentiles, 
caused  the  latter  to  organize  independent  companies  of 
rangers.  This  independent  command  at  no  time  ex- 
ceeded one  hundred  and  fifty  men.  They  were,  for 
the  most  part,  men  with  private  grievances  against  the 
Mormons.  The  rangers  of  Daviess  and  Livingston 
counties  chose  as  their  colonel,  Thomas  Jennings,  a 
soldier  of  1812  who  had  fought  under  Jackson  at  New 
Orleans,  and  who  in  later  years  served  in  the  Mexican 
War.  His  son,  Obadiah  Jennings,  was  made  captain 
of  one  of  the  companies. 

The  entire  force  was  composed  of  deer  hunters  and 
Indian  fighters,  who  were  armed  with  their  trusty  rifles. 
The  little  band,  reduced  by  furloughs  and  detached 
parties  to  about  eighty,  was  encamped  at  Lock  Springs, 


204 

to  protect  the  Grand  River  settlements  until  the  arrival 
of  the  expected  militia.  While  the  rangers  were  waiting 
there,  a  messenger  ran  into  the  camp,  saying,  — 

"The  Mormons  at  Haughns  Mill  are  going  to  burn 
Grand  River." 

Jennings  determined  to  march  against  Haughns  Mill 
at  once.  It  was  not  more  than  five  miles  from  Lock 
Springs,  and  he  reached  it  about  three  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon.  The  mill  was  situated  on  Shoal  Creek,  and 
there  was  a  blacksmith's  shop  west  of  it  and  about 
fifty  yards  away.  A  dam  had  been  thrown  across  the 
creek  to  force  the  water  into  the  mill  race.  Two  or 
three  log  cabins  were  built  on  the  west  side  of  the 
stream,  and  one  or  two  on  the  east  side.  A  well  had 
just  been  dug  close  to  the  blacksmith's  shop,  and  on 
this  afternoon  the  Mormons,  to  the  number  of  forty  or 
fifty,  were  assembled  about  it. 

When  Jennings  came  in  sight  of  the  mill,  his  men 
struck  up  a  martial  air  with  the  fife  and  drum.  The 
Mormons  seized  their  guns,  and  all  that  could,  crowded 
into  the  shop.  Some  got  behind  it,  and  a  few  started 
across  the  creek  on  the  dam. 

The  Gentiles  opened  fire,  and  pressed  forward  upon 
the  enemy.  There  was  no  time  for  parley,  and  both 
sides  were  determined  neither  to  give  nor  to  ask 
quarter. 

Mounted  on  his  white  horse,  Colonel  Jennings  rode 
up  and  down  the  line,  encouraging  his  men  by  word 
and  act.  The  old  deer  hunters  sent  their  bullets  with 
fatal  effect  through  the  chinks  between  the  logs  into  the 
blacksmith's  shop.  The  Mormons  returned  the  fire, 


205 


but  every  time  their  heads 

appeared  at  the  cracks, 

they  were  struck  by 

bullets.     So    they 

kept     their      heads 

down,    and,    poking 

their  guns  through 

the    cracks,    fired 

without  taking  aim. 

In      this     manner       '~%-Wl!'$^~JJI     they  shot  over 

the   heads    of    the      ^^jr  \J^j(       Gentiles. 

Ira  Glaze  and  <ff  IfcS^W  Jesse  Nave,  both 
experienced  deer  hunt-  '  ^^^7  /  ers>  ran  UP  to  tne 
side  of  the  shop,  and  poked  their  guns 

through  the  chinks  until  the  muzzles  almost  touched 
the  men  inside.  The  Mormons  tried  to  shoot  these 
bold  rangers,  but  they  hugged  the  outside  walls  close, 
and  kept  out  of  range.  Occasionally  Glaze  was  heard 
to  shout,  — 

"  Your  powder  burnt  me  that  time." 

During  the  remainder  of  the  fight,  these  two  daring 
men  remained  just  on  the  outside  of  the  shop,  loading 
and  firing  through  the  cracks  at  the  men  within. 

One  Mormon  leaped  from  the  shop,  and,  running  to 
the  creek,  fled  across  on  the  mill  dam,  and  reached  a 
field  beyond.  He  might  have  escaped,  had  he  not 
climbed  on  a  fence  and  paused  to  look  back.  Frank 
Berry,  an  old  deer  hunter,  saw  him,  leveled  his  unerr- 
ing rifle,  and  fired.  The  Mormon  dropped  his  gun, 
threw  up  his  hands,  and  fell  from  the  fence  into  the 
field. 


2O6 

Another  Mormon  escaped  from  the  blacksmith's  shop, 
and  was  running  up  Shoal  Creek,  when  a  Gentile  named 
Jake  Rodgers  saw  him  and  gave  chase.  Jake's  rifle 
was  empty,  and  he  had  no  other  weapon  but  a  sword 
made  out  of  a  scythe.  The  Mormon,  seeing  that  he 
could  not  outrun  the  fleet  Gentile,  dropped  his  gun ; 
then,  turning,  he  threw  up  his  hands,  and  begged  for 
his  life.  But  he  appealed  in  vain.  Rodgers  ran  upon 
him,  cut  him  down,  and  hacked  him  to  death. 

No  prisoners  were  taken ;  for  all  who  did  not  escape 
were  slain.  Even  a  boy  who  had  crawled  under  the 
bellows  in  the  shop  perished  with  the  others.  The 
firing  from  the  outside  continued  until  no  response 
came  from  the  shop.  Then,  pushing  open  the  door, 
the  rangers  found  the  dark  room  tenanted  only  by  the 
dead.  The  exact  number  of  Mormons  killed  is  not 
known.  History  puts  the  number  at  eighteen  or 
twenty ;  but  an  eyewitness  who  helped  collect  the  dead 
said  that  he  counted  thirty-three. 

The  dead  Mormons  were  thrown  into  the  newly  dug 
well,  and  were  covered  up.  The  men  under  Colonel 
Jennings  soon  afterwards  joined  the  forces  under  Doni- 
phan,  and  all  marched  to  capture  Far  West.  Here  the 
Mormons  had  fortified  themselves  for  an  attack ;  but, 
at  last  realizing  the  folly  of  resistance,  they  agreed  to 
dispose  of  their  possessions  and  leave  the  State.  Their 
property  was  sold  at  a  great  sacrifice,  and  they  left 
Missouri,  never  to  return.  Joseph  Smith  and  some  of 
the  other  leaders  were  arrested,  but  made  their  escape ; 
and  others,  who  were  put  on  trial,  were  acquitted  by 
juries. 


207 

In  1841,  an  attempt  was  made  to  assassinate  Gov- 
ernor Boggs,  —  as  was  supposed,  by  a  Mormon  named 
Porter  Rockwell,  —  but  the  attempt  was  a  failure.  The 
Mormons  went  to  Illinois,  where  they  again  had  trouble 
with  the  Gentiles.  Joseph  Smith  and  his  brother 
Hyrum  were  killed,  and  the  others  were  driven  from 
the  State.  They  went  to  Utah,  and  under  new  leaders 
established  another  home  in  the  wilderness  —  Salt  Lake 
City,  which  is  their  capital  to-day 


XXXI. 

THE    HONEY   WAR.  —  COLONEL   GENTRY. 


OVERNOR  LYMAN  BOGGS,  under  whose  ad- 
ministration  the  Mormons  were  expelled  from 
the  State,  found  his  entire  term  filled  with  foreign  and 
domestic  trouble.  In  1839,  the  vear  after  the  Mormons 
were  expelled,  the  whole  State  was  thrown  into  a  fever 
of  excitement  by  a  conflict  which  threatened  war  in 
north  Missouri. 

The  trouble  arose  over  the  disputed  boundary  line 
between  Missouri  and  Iowa.  The  tract  of  land  in 
question  was  mostly  forest;  and,  as  it  was  noted  for 
wild  bees,  the  dispute  was  ironically  called  the  "  Honey 
War." 

Instead  of  pursuing  a  sensible  policy  and  having  the 
boundary  line  settled  according  to  law,  Missouri  and 
Iowa  both  stubbornly  insisted  on  levying  taxes  and 
executing  writs  in  the  disputed  territory.  A  man  living 
in  this  region  could  not  tell  where  he  belonged. 

A  Missouri  sheriff,  while  trying  to  execute  papers 
here,  was  driven  away  by  the  Iowa  officers.  Governor 
Boggs  of  Missouri  called  out  the  militia  to  enforce  the 
writs  of  the  State.  Governor  Lucas  of  Iowa  ordered 
out  the  Iowa  militia  to  uphold  the  laws  of  his  Territory. 
For  several  weeks,  two  armies  of  two  or  three  thousand 

208 


209 

men  each  were  confronting  each  other,  and  a  bloody 
conflict  was  hourly  expected. 

The  affair  took  a  ridiculous  turn,  however,  and  be- 
came a  huge  joke ;  bloodshed  was  averted,  and  anger 
changed  to  mirth.  Mr.  Campbell,  of  Palmyra,  wrote 
some  doggerel  verse  which  burlesqued  the  two  gov- 
ernors and  set  everybody  to  thinking  what  a  ludicrous 
figure  they  were  cutting.  The  first  two  stanzas  of  Mr. 
Campbell's  poetic  effusion  were  as  follows :  — 

THE    HONEY   WAR. 

Ye  freemen  of  this  happy  land, 

Which  flows  with  milk  and  honey, 
Arise!     To  arms!     Your  ponies  mount! 

Regard  not  blood  or  money. 
Old  Governor  Lucas,  tigerlike, 

Is  prowling  round  our  borders, 
But  Governor  Boggs  is  wide  awake  — 

Just  listen  to  his  orders. 

"Three  bee  trees  stand  about  the  line 

Between  our  State  and  Lucas. 
Be  ready  all  these  trees  to  fall 

And  bring  things  to  a  focus. 
We'll  show  old  Lucas  how  to  brag, 

And  seize  our  precious  honey! 
He  also  claims,  I  understand, 

Of  us  three  bits  in  -money." 

Seeing  the  folly  of  going  to  war  over  the  disputed 
boundary,  the  Clark  County  (Mo.)  court  appointed  a 
committee  to  wait  on  the  Iowa  Territorial  Legislature, 
then  in  session  at  Burlington,  and  try  to  bring  about  an 
amicable  settlement  of  the  difficulties.  The  committee 

STO.  OF  MO. —  14 


2IO 

was  kindly  received,  and  resolutions  were  adopted  ask- 
ing the  governors  of  Missouri  and  Iowa  to  suspend  hos- 
tilities until  the  boundary  line  could  be  determined  by 
the  national  government. 

Congress  established  this  line  in  1840.  The  decision 
was  in  favor  of  Iowa,  and  "  the  Indian  boundary  line" 
run  by  Colonel  Sullivan  was  declared  to  be  the  true 
northern  boundary  of  Missouri.  The  decision  was  ac- 
cepted "by  all.  A  few  years  later,  the  line  was  run  by 
commissioners  from  Iowa  and  Missouri,  and  some  cor- 
rections were  made  in  the  former  survey.  Their  deter- 
mination of  the  boundary  fixed  the  line  as  it  exists  to-day. 


When  the  Seminole  Indians  in  Florida  had  proved 
too  much  for  the  regular  army  of  the  United  States, 
the  President  asked  Senator  Benton  if  some  of  the 
Missourians  would  go  there  to  fight  them.  Mr.  Benton 
answered  that  the  Missourians  would  go  wherever  their 
services  were  needed.  A  requisition  was  accordingly 
made  on  Governor  Boggs  for  two  regiments  of  mounted 
volunteers. 

The  first  regiment  enlisted  for  the  service  in  Florida 
was  commanded  by  Colonel  Richard  Gentry.  The  men 
assembled  at  Columbia  early  in  October,  1837,  and 
marched  to  Jefferson  Barracks,  near  St.  Louis,  where 
they  were  formally  mustered  into  service  by  the  general 
in  command.  Then  they  floated  down  the  Mississippi 
River  in  boats  to  New  Orleans,  where  some  sailing 
vessels  were  employed  to  carry  them  to  Florida. 

They  were  overtaken  by  a  violent  storm  on  the  voy- 


211 

age,  and  several  of  their  vessels  were  stranded.  Some 
horses  were  lost,  but  no  soldiers.  On  November  15 
the  regiment  landed  at  Tampa  Bay,  Florida,  and  went 
into  camp  to  await  orders  from  Colonel  Taylor,  who 
was  then  in  command  of  the  United  States  troops. 
They  remained  here  for  fifteen  days ;  and  on  Decem- 
ber i  they  received  orders  from  Taylor  to  join  the 
regular  troops  and  advance  to  Okechobee  Lake,  which 
was  over  one  hundred  miles  distant.  It  was  reported 
that  the  Seminoles  had  gathered  there,  and  were  pre- 
pared for  battle,  under  their  most  successful  leaders, 
Sam  Jones,  Tiger  Tail,  Alligator,  and  Mycanopee. 

The  march  inland  was  uneventful  until  the  little  army 
came  to  the  Kissimmee  River.  Here  a  few  Indians 
who  were  guarding  their  cattle  were  captured,  and  from 
them  it  was  learned  that  the  hostile  force  was  close  by. 
On  December  25,  having  crossed  the  river,  the  white 
men  advanced  to  give  battle.  Colonel  Taylor  placed 
the  Missouri  volunteers  in  the  center  and  in  front,  with 
the  regular  troops  supporting  the  flanks. 

The  Indians  had  carefully  posted  themselves  on  the 
edge  of  a  swamp.  Their  ground  was  well  chosen,  and 
they  fought  more  stubbornly  than  the  savages  usually 
did. 

Colonel  Gentry's  command,  owing  to  the  nature  of 
the  ground,  dismounted  and  fought  on  foot.  The 
colonel  himself  was  on  foot  also.  After  several  hours' 
severe  fighting,  the  Indians  began  to  fall  back,  and 
Colonel  Gentry  ordered  his  men  to  advance.  The  In- 
dians were  being  slowly  driven  from  the  field,  when  the 
Missouri  colonel  was  fatally  wounded  in  the  abdomen. 


212 

Though  he  suffered  the  most  intense  pain,  and  knew 
that  his  wound  was  mortal,  yet  he  remained  on  his  feet 
for  an  hour  after  he  was  shot,  and  led  his  men  on  to 
victory.  At  last  human  endurance  could  hold  out  no 
longer,  and  he  sank  to  the  earth  at  the  head  of  his 
regiment.  He  was  carried  from  the  field  and  died  that 
night. 

The  fall  of  their  gallant  colonel  did  not  dishearten 
the  Missourians.  They  kept  on  fighting  until  the  In- 
dians were  put  to  flight,  and  Colonel  Taylor  ordered 
them  to  take  care  of  the  fallen.  The  killed  and  wounded 
among  the  whites  numbered  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
eight,  most  of  whom  were  Missourians. 

The  services  of  the  Missouri  volunteers  being  no 
longer  required,  they  returned  to  their  homes  in  1838, 
and  were  mustered  out  of  service.  The  body  of  Colonel 
Gentry,  with  those  of  Captain  Van  Swearingen  and 
Lieutenants  Brooke  and  Center,  of  the  regular  army, 
were  brought  to  Jefferson  Barracks  to  be  buried. 

Gentry  County,  organized  February  12,  1841,  was 
named  in  honor  of  this  dauntless  Missouri  colonel. 

In  his  official  report  of  the  battle  of  Okechobee, 
Colonel  Taylor  did  great  injustice  to  the  Missouri  volun- 
teers. He  represented  them  as  breaking  ranks  and 
flying  to  the  rear  of  the  army,  and  said  that  all  efforts 
to  rally  them  were  in  vain.  Taylor,  like  all  regular 
army  officers,  was  inclined  to  hold  the  volunteers  in 
contempt,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  in  actual  war 
they  do  nine  tenths  of  the  fighting.  Though  Colonel 
Gentry  had  fallen  in  the  front,  fighting  the  enemy,  and 
though  his  men,  with  a  very  few  exceptions,  remained 


213 

on  the  field  until  victory  was  gained,  the  report  of  the 
commander  branded  them  all  as  cowards. 

So  manifestly  unjust  and  untruthful  was  Taylor's 
report,  that  the  Missouri  Legislature  resented  it,  and 
ordered  an  investigation  into  the  conduct  of  the  Mis- 
sourians  engaged  in  the  Florida  war. 

A  number  of  officers  appeared  before  the  investigat- 
ing committee.  Their  sworn  statements  were  in  conflict 
with  the  report  of  Colonel  Taylor,  and  the  Legislature 
passed  strong  resolutions  condemning  this  report,  and 
asking  the  federal  government  to  order  an  investigation 
into  the  conduct  of  the  Missouri  volunteers.  Though 
the  resolutions  passed  both  houses  without  a  dissenting 
voice,  they  were  never  acted  upon  by  the  President  of 
the  United  States. 


Colonel  Richard  Gentry. 


XXXII. 


DONIPHAN   AND    PRICE. 


w 


•  HEN  a  quarrel  arose 
between  Mexico  and 
the  United  States,  which 
resulted  in  a  war,  the  Mis- 
sourians  did  not  stop  to  in- 
quire as  to  which  was  the 
just  side  in  the  difficulty. 
Their  country  wanted  sol- 
diers, and  they  were  quick 
to  respond  to  the  demand. 
It  was  on  May  13,  1846, 
that  Congress  made  a 
formal  declaration  of  war 
with  Mexico.  Immediately 
afterwards,  Governor  Ed- 
wards of  Missouri  issued  a  call  for  volunteers  to  join  the 
"Army  of  the  West,"  which  was  under  the  command  of 
General  Stephen  Kearney,  and  was  soon  to  begin  the 
conquest  of  northern  Mexico  by  marching  against  Santa 
Fe.  Mounted  volunteers  were  quickly  enlisted  in  Mis- 
souri, and  were  collected  at  Fort  Leavenworth,  the  point 
where  the  army  was  to  begin  its  march.  On  June  18, 
all  the  companies  of  the  first  regiment  had  arrived  there, 

214 


Colonel  Alexander  W.  Doniphan. 


215 

and  an  election  was  held,  which  resulted  in  the  choice 
of  Alexander  W.  Doniphan  as  colonel ;  C.  F.  Ruff, 
lieutenant  colonel ;  and  William  Gilpin,  major. 

Colonel  Doniphan's  command  was  the  very  flower 
of  Missouri  riflemen.  They  were  armed  with  what 
was  known  as  the  United  States  Yager,  an  improve- 
ment on  the  musket,  and  a  very  accurate  weapon ; 
and  each  man  was  a  sharpshooter.  Only  a  part,  how- 
ever, of  the  Missouri  volunteers  were  cavalry.  There 
was  a  battalion  of  light  artillery  from  St.  Louis  under 
the  command  of  Captain  R.  A.  Weightman  and  Captain 
A.  W.  Fischer,  and  two  battalions  of  infantry  from 
Platte  and  Cole  counties,  commanded  by  Captain 
Murphy  and  Captain  Augney.  The  "  Laclede  Ran- 
gers," from  St.  Louis,  were  under  Captain  Thomas  B. 
Hudson.  Including  the  regular  United  States  troops, 
the  expedition  was  made  up  of  one  thousand  six  hundred 
and  fifty-eight  men ;  and  it  was  provided  with  sixteen 
pieces  of  ordnance  —  twelve  six  pounders,  and  four 
twelve-pound  howitzers. 

The  march  of  Kearney  and  Doniphan  extended 
across  what  is  now  Kansas,  a  part  of  the  Indian  Terri- 
tory, and  New  Mexico ;  and  it  was  perhaps  the  boldest 
invasion,  by  so  small  a  body  of  men,  ever  made  into 
the  heart  of  an  enemy's  country.  They  were  practi- 
cally cut  off  from  all  supplies  and  communications ; 
and  the  hardships  and  sufferings  of  their  men  are 
almost  beyond  belief.  One  of  the  soldiers  in  describ- 
ing the  journey  said  :  — 

"We  traveled  for  days  with  very  little  water,  and 
what  we  did  find  was  so  brackish  we  could  not  use  it. 


216 

The  sand  rolled  up  in  clouds  about  us,  and  settled  on 
our  clothing,  hands,  and  faces,  until  the  color  of  the 
soldiers  could  not  be  told  by  looking  at  them.  I  have 
raked  the  dry  sand  off  my  tongue  with  my  finger.  One 
day  we  came  to  a  bright,  clear  stream  of  water,  but  it 
was  almost  scalding  hot. 

"When  night  came,  worn  out,  and  parched  with 
thirst,  we  were  compelled  to  sleep  on  the  ground,  our 
blanket  furnishing  our  only  bed  and  covering.  The 
plains  seemed  to  swarm  with  lizards.  A  soldier  would 
scarcely  get  to  sleep  when  the  active  little  reptiles  began 
crawling  over  him.  They  glided  over  our  faces,  and 
crawled  up  our  trousers,  and  sometimes  a  soldier's 
blanket  would  become  so  full  of  them  that  he  would 
get  up  and  shake  them  off  upon  a  sleeping  companion. 
A  sleeping  soldier  was  often  heard  to  say,  — 

"  'Don't  shake  your  lizards  on  me ! ' 

"  But  perhaps  he  was  too  drowsy  to  resent  it.  In 
a  few  moments  he  would  be  awakened  by  the  active, 
creeping  reptiles,  and  arising  would  shake  them  on 
some  other  sleeping  comrade." 

From  Fort  Leavenworth  to  Santa  Fe,  the  march 
was  through  a  wilderness  or  uninhabited  desert;  but 
the  soldiers  bore  up  bravely,  and  made  little  or  no  com- 
plaint. After  the  capture  of  Santa  Fe,  the  little  army 
was  divided  ;  Kearney  went  on  to  conquer  California, 
while  Doniphan  advanced  toward  central  Mexico.  On 
December  25,  Doniphan's  regiment  reached  the  Bra- 
zito,  or  "  Little  Arm  "  River,  where  they  had  their  first 
encounter  with  the  Mexicans. 

It  is  said  that  the  colonel  and  some  of  his  officers 


were  playing  cards  in  the  camp,  when  they  discovered 
a  cloud  of  dust  approaching  them.  It  proved  to  be 
Captain  Reid's  scouts,  who  came  to  tell  them  that  a 
large  body  of  the  enemy  was  advancing  to  attack  them. 
Colonel  Doniphan  threw  down  his  cards,  and  drew  his 
sword,  saying,  — 

"  Boys,  I  held  an  invincible  hand,  but  we  shall  have 
to  play  it  out  in  steel  now." 

Every  man  flew  to  his  post.  The  bugle  sounded, 
and  the  long  roll  of  the  drum  announced  the  proximity 
of  the  enemy.  The  men  threw  down  the  loads  of  wood 
and  buckets  of  water  which  they  were  carrying  to  their 
camp,  and,  seizing  their  rifles,  fell  into  line  of  battle. 
A  large  body  of  Mexicans  was  seen  on  the  level  plain 
bordering  the  Brazito. 

The  Missouri  troops,  amounting  to  about  eight  hun- 
dred in  number,  were  commanded  by  Colonel  Doni- 
phan in  person.  The  Mexicans,  about  eleven  hundred 
strong,  were  under  General  Ponce  de  Leon,  an  officer 
of  considerable  experience.  His  men  were  all  veterans, 
and  the  force  was  not  to  be  despised. 

While  the  two  armies  stood  confronting  each  other 
in  line  of  battle,  General  Ponce  de  Leon  dispatched  a 
lieutenant  to  Colonel  Doniphan,  bearing  a  black  flag. 
The  messenger  rode  at  full  speed  until  within  sixty 
yards  of  the  American  lines,  when  he  halted  and 
saluted  with  his  ensign.  Colonel  Doniphan,  with  his 
interpreter,  T.  Caldwell,  advanced  toward  him,  and 
asked  what  he  wanted.  The  messenger  said,  — 

"The  Mexican  general  summons  your  commander 
to  appear  before  him." 


218 


"If   your   gen- 
eral desires  peace, 


let  him  come  here," 

was  the  interpreter's  answer. 

"  Does   your  commander  refuse  to 
come  ?     Then  we  will  break  your  ranks,  and  take  him 
there." 

"  Come  and  take  him." 

The  Mexican  flew  into  a  rage,  and  cried,— 

"Prepare  for  a  charge,  —  we  neither  ask  nor  give 
quarter."  Waving  his  black  flag  over  his  head,  he 
galloped  back  to  the  Mexican  lines. 

As  soon  as  he  had  reached  his  friends,  there  came  a 
trumpet  blast,  and  a  body  of  Mexican  dragoons  was  seen 
to  gallop  boldly  forward.  Colonel  Doniphan  cried,  — 

"  Steady,  boys !  Don't  be  too  eager  to  fire.  Wait 
until  they  are  near  enough  to  make  it  count.  We  have 
not  brought  our  powder  and  bullets  across  the  plains 


2I9 

to  throw  them  away.  Remember  you  are  Missou- 
rians." 

His  men  began  to  cheer,  and  when  the  Mexicans 
were  within  a  few  rods,  opened  fire  on  them.  Several 
saddles  were  emptied,  and  the  enemy  was  thrown  into 
confusion.  Then  Captain  Reid,  with  sixteen  cavalry- 
men, charged  through  their  line  and  drove  them  back. 

A  body  of  Mexican  infantry  came  up  behind  a 
thicket  and  opened  fire  on  the  riflemen.  Colonel 
Doniphan  shouted,  — 

"  Lie  down  on  your  faces,  and  reserve  your  fire  until 
the  Mexicans  come  within  sixty  paces." 

After  the  Mexicans  had  fired  three  volleys,  they  saw 
the  Americans  lying  on  the  ground,  and  supposed  that 
they  had  slain  all  the  invaders.  They  rushed  forward, 
shouting,  — 

"  Bueno  !     Bueno !  "     (Good  !     Good  !) 

Suddenly  a  volley  of  rifle  balls  mowed  down  a  large 
number  of  them,  and  those  uninjured  retreated  in  con- 
fusion. The  battle  was  stubborn,  but  the  Missouri 
riflemen  and  artillerists  were  too  much  for  the  Mexi- 
cans. General  Ponce  de  Leon  and  sixty  of  his  men 
were  killed,  five  were  made  prisoners,  one  hundred  and 
fifty  were  wounded,  and  the  remainder  fled. 

Doniphan  had  eight  wounded,  but  none  killed.  Soon 
after  this  battle  he  advanced  and  took  possession  of 
El  Paso. 

The  principal  conflict  in  which  the  Missourians  under 
Doniphan  were  engaged  was  in  the  Sacramento  Pass, 
near  the  city  of  Chihuahua,  February  28,  1847.  At 
this  pass,  the  Mexicans  numbered  between  four  and 


22O 

five  thousand,  under  Major-General  Jose  A.  Heredia. 
Colonel  Doniphan  had  but  nine  hundred  and  twenty- 
four  men,  and  ten  pieces  of  artillery. 

One  of  Doniphan's  officers,  when  he  saw  how  well 
the  Mexicans  were  posted,  and  how  greatly  superior 
their  numbers  were,  went  to  the  colonel  and  said,— 

"  Colonel,  there  are  great  odds  against  us." 

"  About  six  to  one." 

"  And  they  are  strongly  intrenched  !  " 

"They  certainly  could  not  have  a  stronger  position." 

"Then  how  do  you  hope  to  win?" 

Doniphan  gave  him  a  look  of  surprise,  and  said,  — 

"Why,  we  are  Missourians" 

The  officer  saluted,  and  was  silent.  The  battle 
lasted  three  hours,  but  the  Missouri  riflemen  stormed 
redoubt  after  redoubt,  and  sent  the  enemy  flying  in 
every  direction. 

Just  before  the  charge,  the  right  and  left  wings  were 
ordered  to  dismount,  and  every  seventh  man  was 
detailed  to  hold  horses.  Volleys  of  musketry,  grape, 
and  canister  from  the  enemy's  works  maddened  the 
men  who  were  kept  out  of  the  fray  by  this  unwelcome 
duty.  As  Colonel  Doniphan  was  passing  up  the  lines, 
a  volunteer  who  had  seven  horses  in  charge  called  to 
him  and  said, — 

"  See  here,  Colonel !  Am  I  compelled  to  stand  here 
in  this  tempest  of  cannon  and  musket  balls,  and  hold 
horses  ? " 

"Yes,  if  you  were  detailed  for  that  purpose." 

The  volunteer,  eager  to  have  a  hand  in  the  fight,  tied 
the  several  bridles  together,  threw  them  down,  seized 


221 

his  gun  and  saber,  and  started  off  in  the  charge, 
saying,  - 

"  Hold  horses,  nothing !  I  didn't  come  here  to  hold 
horses ;  I  can  do  that  at  home." 

While  this  showed  a.  lack  of  discipline  appalling  to  a 
regular  army  officer,  it  also  showed  an  enthusiasm  which 
explains  Doniphan's  wonderful  victory. 

As  the  right  wing  scaled  the  breastworks,  Sergeant 
Tom  Hinckle  was  among  the  first  to  cross  the  intrench- 
ments.  He  was  in  advance  of  the  others,  and  soon 
found  himself  surrounded  by  the  enraged  enemy.  Fir- 
ing his  Yager  and  pistols,  and  not  having  time  to  re- 
load them,  he  seized  stones  and  hurled  them  with  such 
fearful  rapidity  and  effect  as  to  force  the  Mexicans 
back,  and  thus  held  the  ground  until  the  others  came 
to  aid  him  in  driving  the  enemy  from  the  field. 

Major  Samuel  C.  Owens,  of  Independence,  Missouri, 
was  the  only  American  killed.  There  were  eleven 
wounded,  of  whom  three  died  of  their  wounds.  The 
Mexican  loss  was  three  hundred  and  four  killed,  forty 
prisoners,  and  nearly  five  hundred  wounded. 

Next  day,  Colonel  Doniphan  took  possession  of  the 
city  of  Chihuahua,  which  was  the  chief  object  of  the 
long  march.  His  little  band  of  brave  soldiers  returned 
by  way  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  and  the  Mississippi  River 
to  Missouri,  where  they  were  mustered  out  of  service. 


Another  noted  leader  of  Missouri  troops  in  the  Mexi- 
can War  was  Sterling  Price.  When  the  war  broke  out 
he  was  a  member  of  Congress,  but  he  soon  resigned  his 


222 

seat  in  order  to  organize  a  second  regiment  of  vol- 
unteers in  his  State.  One  full  regiment  and  two 
battalions  were  enlisted,  —  all  but  one  battalion  being 
mounted. 

After  coming  together  at  Fort  Leavenworth,  the  men 
elected  Price  as  their  colonel,  and  D.  D.  Mitchell,  lieu- 
tenant colonel.  Price's  instructions  were  to  reinforce 
the  Army  of  the  West,  and  he  led  his  force  to  Santa 
Fe  by  the  same  route  that  Kearney  and  Doniphan  had 
taken. 

While  in  command  of  the  American  troops  in  New 
Mexico,  Price  was  called  upon  to  put  down  a  formidable 
revolt  against  the  United  States.  His  first  encounter 
with  the  insurgent  Mexicans  was  at  Canada,  January  24, 
1847.  The  Americans  were  victorious,  and,  pushing  on, 
soon  put  the  enemy  to  flight  in  a  second  battle,  though 
outnumbered.  Then  the  Mexicans  and  their  Indian 
allies  sought  refuge  in  Taos,  which  was  strongly  forti- 
fied. Colonel  Price  arrived  at  the  town  on  February  3, 
and  the  next  morning  advanced  to  take  it.  The  enemy 
offered  a  stubborn  resistance,  and  the  fight  lasted  all 
day.  When  the  Mexicans  finally  surrendered,  they  had 
lost  over  two  hundred  and  fifty  men  killed,  while 
the  American  loss  was  but  fifteen  killed  and  fifty 
wounded. 

This  was  the  last  battle  fought  by  Colonel  Price  in 
the  Mexican  War,  as  the  people  of  New  Mexico  soon  sub- 
mitted. The  final  treaty  of  peace  with  Mexico  gave  to 
the  United  States  a  vast  amount  of  territory,  in  which 
was  included  most  of  the  region  that  had  been  con- 
quered by  the  Missouri  volunteers. 


XXXIII. 
BORDER   TROUBLE. 

FROM  the  time  that  Missouri  was  admitted  as  a 
State,  down  to  the  Civil  War,  there  was  almost 
constant  agitation  over  slavery.  The  strife  extended 
throughout  the  whole  nation,  but  in  Missouri  it  was 
especially  bitter,  for  the  people  were  very  evenly 
divided  on  the  subject. 

In  1828  there  was  a  strong  disposition  on  the  part  of 
Missouri  statesmen  to  abolish  slavery.  The  two  United 
States  senators,  Benton  and  Barton,  with  the  members 
of  Congress  from  Missouri,  met  with  a  number  of 
prominent  State  politicians  in  St.  Louis,  to  dev.ise  some 
scheme  for  liberating  the  slaves. 

The  plan  agreed  upon  was  that  of  gradual  emancipa- 
tion. It  provided  that  after  a  certain  time  every  slave 
born  in  the  State  should  be  free  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
one,  and  that  the  master  should  be  compelled  to  teach 
him  to  read  and  write. 

Before  the  Missouri  leaders  were  ready  to  submit  the 
plan  to  the  people,  however,  an  abolitionist  in  New 
York,  named  Arthur  Tappan,  invited  two  negro  men  to 
dine  at  his  house  with  him.  In  the  afternoon  of  the 
same  day,  these  negroes  were  seen  riding  in  a  carriage 
with  Tappa'n's  daughters  about  the  streets  of  the  city. 

223 


224 

This  incident  was  published  in  all  the  papers,  and  so 
aroused  public  sentiment  against  the  abolitionists,  that 
Benton  and  his  friends  dared  not  submit  their  propo- 
sition to  the  people. 

It  may  seem  strange  at  this  day  that  the  silly  act  of  a 
.New  York  fanatic  should  change  the  mind  of  the  people 
of  Missouri.  But  people  in  the  slaveholding  States  be- 
lieved that  if  the  negroes  were  freed  they  would  be 
placed  on  a  social  equality  with  the  whites.  The 
thought  was  repugnant,  and  the  conduct  of  Tappan 
seemed  to  prove  that  social  equality  was  what  the 
abolitionists  desired. 

For  some  time  after  the  Tappan  episode,  there  was 
a  lull  in  the  slavery  agitation,  but  in  1833,  Elijah  P. 
Lovejoy,  a  graduate  from  Princeton,  came  to  St.  Louis 
and  began  the  publication  of  an  abolition  paper.  He 
was  a  reformer  whose  intentions,  doubtless,  were  good ; 
but  his  lectures  and  editorials  were  unfavorably  re- 
ceived. 

There  were  many  things  at  that  time  which  were 
prejudicial  to  the  success  of  Lovejoy.  Tappan's  foolish 
act  was  not  forgotten.  Then,  too,  the  abolitionists 
were  assisting  many  negroes  to  escape  from  the  State 
by  a  system  of  "underground  railroads,"  as  they  .were 
called.  Some  of  these  runaway  negroes  were  vicious 
fellows,  and  before  escaping  from  their  masters,  com- 
mitted the  most  horrible  crimes. 

One  negro  woman  poisoned  her  master  and  his  whole 
family.  A  runaway  negro  man  in  Marion  County 
murdered  a  little  girl  and  boy  whom  he  found  playing 
in  the  woods.  A  second  negro  woman,  left  in  charge 


225 

of  three  small  children,  in  a  fit  of  frenzy  struck  one 
over  the  head  with  a  board,  and  killed  it.  She  then 
seized  a  hatchet,  killed  the  other  two  to  prevent  them 
from  reporting  her  crime,  and  fled  to  the  woods.  The 
abolitionists,  by  means  of  their  underground  railroad 
system,  enabled  her  to  elude  all  pursuit  and  escape  to 
Canada,  and  she  was  never  brought  to  justice  for  her 
terrible  crime. 

The  horrible  outrages  of  the  runaway  negroes  were 
attributed  by  some  to  the  influence  of  the  abolitionists. 
The  charge  was  no  doubt  unjust,  but  there  were  many 
people  in  the  Southern  States  who  believed  that  the 
abolitionists  were  inciting  the  slaves  not  only  to  run 
away,  but  to  murder  their  masters  as  well. 

Wild  rumors  were  often  heard  of  some  plot  on  the 
part  of  the  slaves  to  rise  and  kill  their  masters  while 
asleep.  Although  the  rumors  were  in  time  found  to  be 
groundless,  they  tended  to  increase  the  bitter  feeling 
which  the  slaveholders  entertained  against  the  aboli- 
tionists. 

Lovejoy  found  it  uphill  work  to  convert  the  Missou- 
rians  to  his  ideas  of  emancipation.  Mr.  Hamilton  R. 
Gamble,  his  friend,  advised  him  "  to  distrust  his  own 
judgment  so  far  as  to  pass  over  in  silence  everything 
connected  with  slavery." 

"I  will  not,"  he  answered.  "I  have  sworn  eternal 
enmity  to  slavery,  and,  being  determined,  by  the  blessing 
of  God  I  will  never  go  back." 

The  proslavery  people  became  so  incensed  against 
him,  that  he  left  St.  Louis  and  located  at  Alton,  in 
Illinois.  Here  he  was  attacked  by  a  mob.  He  fired 

STO.  OF   MO. —  15 


226 


into  it,  killing  one 
man,  and  then  was 
himself  killed  by  the 
others. 

During  this  time 
there  lived  in  St. 
Louis  Dr.  Emerson, 
a  surgeon  in  the 
United  States  army, 
who  owned  a  young 
negro  named  Dred 
Scott.  When  Dr.  Em- 
erson was  ordered  to 
Rock  Island,  Illinois, 
in  1834,  he  took  the  negro  with  him.  There,  Scott  met 
a  female  slave  belonging  to  Major  Taliaferro,  of  the 
army,  and,  with  the  consent  of  their  masters,  these  two 
slaves  were  married.  They  were  taken  to  Fort  Snelling 
(in  what  is  now  Minnesota),  where  they  lived  for  four  or 
five  years.  Then  Dr.  Emerson  purchased  Scott's  wife 
and  two  children,  and  took  the  whole  family  to  St.  Louis. 
Dred  Scott  sued  for  his  freedom  on  the  plea  of  invol- 
untary residence  in  a  free  State  and  Territory  for  sev- 
eral years ;  and  the  local  court  at  St.  Louis  decided  in 
his  favor.  The  Supreme  Court  of  the  State,  however, 
reversed  the  decision,  and  the  case  was  finally  taken  to 
the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  where  Chief- 
Justice  Roger  B.  Taney  delivered  the  famous  "  Dred 
Scott  decision"  in  1857. 

In  that  decision,  the  judge  declared  that  the  framers 
and  supporters  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  did 


227 

not  include  the  negro  race  in  their  proclamation  that 
"  all  men  are  created  equal."  He  said  the  negroes  "  had 
for  more  than  a  century  before  been  regarded  as  beings 
of  an  inferior  order,  and  altogether  unfit  to  associate 
with  the  white  race,  either  in  social  or  political  relations, 
and  so  far  inferior  that  they  had  no  rights  which  the 
white  man  was  bound  to  respect,  and  that  the  negro 
might  justly  and  lawfully  be  reduced  to  slavery  for  his 
benefit"  Judge  Taney  went  further  in  this  famous 
decision,  and  declared  the  Missouri  Compromise  Act 
unconstitutional,  null,  and  void. 

This  decision  alarmed  the  abolitionists,  for  it  opened 
up  all  the  country  once  more  to  the  spread  of  slavery, 
especially  the  new  Territories  and  States  yet  to  be 
formed.  Moreover,  the  discussion  of  the  slavery  ques- 
tion had  revived  an  old  theory  of  the  national  union, 
advocated  first  by  Aaron  Burr,  and  afterward  by  John 
C.  Calhoun,  a  prominent  Southern  statesman. 

This  was  known  as  the  States'  sovereignty  doctrine. 
Many  men  argued  that  each  State  was  sovereign  in 
itself,  that  the  United  States  was  only  a  union  or 
compact  of  so  many  sovereign  States  for  their  mutual 
benefit ;  and  that  each  State  had  a '  right  to  with- 
draw from  the  confederation  or  union  at  any  time  it 
felt  disposed  to  do  so,  and  set  up  an  independent 
government. 

The  people  who  held  this  doctrine  were  known  as 
States'-rights  men,  and  their  opponents  were  called 
Unionists.  Those  in  favor  of  "  States'  rights "  were, 
for  the  most  part,  Southerners  and  proslavery  men, 
while  the  people  in  the  Northern  and  Middle  States 


228 

were  Unionists.  The  theory  of  States'  rights  was  the 
fundamental  cause  of  the  great  Civil  War. 

For  a  long  time  before  the  Dred  Scott  decision,  the 
slavery  question  had  been  kept  constantly  before  the 
people  of  Missouri.  Early  in  1849,  Mr.  Claiborne  F. 
Jackson,  a  member  of  the  State  Senate,  introduced  a 
resolution  in  that  body,  denying  the  right  of  Congress 
to  meddle  with  slavery  in  a  State  or  Territory.  His 
resolution  absolved  the  slave  States  from  the  Missouri 
Compromise,  and  indirectly  prepared  the  way  for  the 
spread  of  slavery  in  the  new  States  and  Territories. 

Senator  Benton  strongly  opposed  this  resolution  ;  and, 
when  it  passed  the  Legislature,  he  appealed  to  the  peo- 
ple. This  act  is  called  in  history  "  Benton's  appeal." 
It  caused  his  defeat  when  he  came  up  for  reelection  to 
the  United  States  Senate  in  1851,  and  retired  him  from 
office  forever,  excepting  one  term  in  the  lower  house  of 
Congress.  In  1856,  he  was  a  candidate  for  Governor  of 
Missouri,  but  was  defeated  by  Trusten  Polk.  He  died 
in  Washington,  D.C.,  April  10,  1858. 

In  1854  the  Territories  of  Kansas  and  Nebraska  were 
formed.  Kansas  was  becoming  well  populated,  and  it 
was  known  that  it  would  soon  apply  for  admission  as  a 
State.  According  to  the  Missouri  Compromise,  it  should 
be  admitted  as  a  free  State;  but  the  act  creating  the 
Territory  ignored  this  compromise  (which  was  later 
declared  unconstitutional),  and  provided  that  Kansas 
should  decide  for  itself  whether  or  not  it  would  admit 
slavery  within  its  borders. 

The  free-State  men  and  the  proslavery  men  made 
great  efforts  to  fill  up  the  Territory  with  those  of  their 


own  way  of  thinking  before  the  time  came  for  voting 
on  the  question ;  and  the  conflicts  between  them  along 
the  border  of  Missouri  sometimes  resulted  in  bloodshed. 
One  might  think  that  this  State  would  have  minded  her 
own  business,  and  not  have  meddled  with  affairs  across 
the  line ;  but  the  people  of  Missouri  seemed  to  think 
that  they  ought  to  be  consulted  in  regard  to  the  political 
beliefs  of  their  neighbor.  Some  Missourians  became  so 
interested  in  the  kind  of  a  constitution  that  Kansas 
should  adopt,  that  they  went  over  into  that  Territory 
and  voted  at  the  constitutional  election.  The  people  of 
Kansas,  especially  those  of  free-soil  notions,  objected 
to  this  neighborly  assistance,  and  the  struggle  between 
the  two  parties  soon  broke  out  in  civil  war. 

John  Brown,  a  noted  abolitionist,  went  to  Kansas 
with  his  sons,  and  organized  a  band  of  armed  men,  who 
were  determined  that  Kansas  should  come  in  as  a  free 
State.  At  Osawatomie,  in  Kansas,  they  had  a  battle 
with  a  party  of  proslavery  men,  in  which  several  were 
killed  and  wounded.  Brown  and  his  sons  were  accused 
of  murdering  an  old  man  and  his  family,  and  were  com- 
pelled to  fly  from  the  Territory. 

Brown  last  appeared  in  Virginia  in  1859,  where  he 
tried  to  induce  the  slaves  to  rise  against  their  masters. 
With  two  of  his  sons,  some  negroes,  and  a  few  white  men, 
he  seized  the  United  States  arsenal  at  Harpers  Ferry. 
Here  he 'was  besieged,  his  sons  were  killed,  and  he  and 
his  party  were  captured.  He  was  indicted  for  treason, 
and  was  hanged  December  2,  1859. 

While  civil  war  raged  in  Kansas,  there  was  much 
trouble  also  on  the  Missouri  border.  This  afforded  an 


230 


excuse  for  horse  thieves  and  outlaws  to  commit  depre- 
dations which  disgrace  civilization.  The  outlaws  of  the 
free-soil  men  were  called  jay  hawkers;  those  of  the  pro- 
slavery  men,  guerrillas  and  border  ruffians.  The  out- 
rages committed  along  the  Missouri  border,  from  1856 
to  the  close  of  the  Civil  War,  are  beyond  description. 
^  Houses  were  burned,  stock 

.  ^Hiytt^^^.       driven  away,  and  people 
robbed    and   murdered. 
I     Every  person  who  had 
a  grudge  against  an- 
other  tcok   advan- 
tage    of     the    dis- 
tracted    times     to 
satisfy  it. 

Mr.     Watson,    a 
quiet,        inoffensive 
man    living   near   the 
Kansas    line,    had    re- 
tired to  bed  one  night. 
A   voice   called    at    his 
gate,  - 

"  Hello ! " 

He  rose,  partly  dressed  himself,  and  with  a  lighted 
candle  in  his  hand  went  to  the  door. 
"What  do  you  want  ?  "  he  asked. 
"We  want  your  scalp!"  shouted  a  voice   from  the 
road.     Then  followed  two  or  three  shots,  and   he   fell 
dead  in  his  doorway.     His  wife   ran   to   him,  and   the 
assassins    galloped    away.     It  was    never   known   why 
Mr.  Watson  was  killed. 


231 

A  party  of  men  called  at  a  house  in  the  same 
neighborhood  one  dark  night,  and  asked  for  the  head 
of  the  family.  They  were  told  that  he  was  absent. 

"  No,  he  isn't ;  tell  him  to  come  out  here ! "  roared 
a  voice  from  the  darkness. 

"I  assure  you  he  is  not  at  home,"  stammered  the 
frightened  wife. 

"Then  come  out  yourself." 

The  woman  and  her  daughter  went  toward  the  horse- 
men, and  were  seized  and  bound.  When  sure  that 
there  were  no  men  in  the  house,  the  outlaws  entered, 
robbed  it  of  all  valuables  they  could  carry  with  them, 
and  then,  releasing  their  prisoners,  galloped  away. 

In  1856,  horse  stealing  and  robbery  were  of  almost 
nightly  occurrence,  and  murder  was  quite  frequent. 

Bands  of  robbers  on  both  sides  increased  by  their 
outrages  the  difficulties  between  the  free-State  and  pro- 
slavery  men.  The  Governor  of  Missouri  visited  the 
scene  of  trouble,  then  hurried  home  expecting  a  dis- 
patch from  the  President  ordering  out  the  militia  of 
the  State.  Civil  war  was  already  raging  along  the 
border. 

At  Lexington,  five  hundred  men  were  under  arms. 
Jackson,  Clay,  and  Platte  counties  were  each  to  furnish 
the  same  number.  In  all,  three  thousand  men  from 
Missouri  awaited  the  order  of  the  governor  to  march  to 
the  scene  of  trouble. 

But  the  order  never  came,  though  a  guerrilla  warfare 
continued  along  the  border,  until  it  was  swallowed  up 
in  the  great  Civil  War. 


XXXIV. 
A   SEASON    OF    DOUBT. 

THE  year  1856  showed  a  large  increase  in  the  new 
political  party,  called  the  Republican.  This  party 
was  known  to  favor  limiting  the  territory  of  slavery,  if 
not  abolishing  it  entirely.  In  1860,  the  Republicans 
nominated  Abraham  Lincoln  for  President.  The  Dem- 
ocratic party  became  divided  in  its  convention,  one  wing 
nominating  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  and  the  other  J.  C. 
Breckenridge.  The  party  calling  itself  "the  Consti- 
tutional Union  party"  nominated  John  Bell.  Lincoln, 
the  Republican  candidate,  was  elected. 

The  proslavery  people  were  filled  with  dismay  and 
indignation.  They  believed  that  the  threat  of  so  many 
years  was  about  to  be  fulfilled,  but  still  many  wise  men 
in  the  South  advocated  a  peace  policy. 

"  Give  Lincoln  a  trial,"  they  said  ;  but  others  declared 
it  was  of  no  use. 

"  He  was  elected  to  free  the  negroes,  and  by  some 
hook  or  crook  he  will  accomplish  it."  Excitement  was 
great.  South  Carolina  seceded,  other  Southern  States 
followed,  and  it  was  easily  seen  that  most,  if  not  all,  of 
the  slave  States  would  soon  do  likewise. 

Claiborne  F.  Jackson,  of  Howard  County,  had  been 
elected  as  a  Democrat  to  succeed  Governor  Robert  M. 

232 


233 

Stewart,  and  early  in  January,  1861,  he  was  inaugurated 
Governor  of  Missouri.  The  great  question  which  then 
agitated  the  minds  of  the  people  was,  "  Shall  the  State 
secede,  or  remain  in  the  Union  ?  "  Governor  Stewart's 
farewell  message  ended  with  a  thrilling  appeal  for  the 
maintenance  of  the  Union,  but  it  was  known  that  his 
successor's  views  were  somewhat  different. 

In  his  inaugural  message  Governor  Jackson  argued 
that  the  destiny  of  all  the  slaveholding  States  in  the 
Union  was  the  same ;  that  it  would  be  impossible  to 
separate  Missouri's  fate  from  that  of  her  sister  States 
who  had  the  same  social  organization ;  and  that  if  the 
existing  Union  should  be  disrupted,  interest  and  sym- 
pathy would  combine  to  unite  the  fortunes  of  all  slave- 
holding  States.  He  declared  that  Missouri  would  not 
shrink  from  the  duty  which  her  position  upon  the  border 
imposed,  but  would  "  stand  by  the  South."  The  State, 
he  said,  was  in  favor  of  remaining  in  the  Union  so  long 
as  there  was  any  hope  of  maintaining  the  guarantees  of 
the  Constitution ;  but  he  opposed  the  plan  of  coercing 
the  seceded  States  back  into  the  Union. 

Holding  the  above  views  concerning  the  interests 
and  policy  of  the  State,  the  governor  believed  that  it 
was  Missouri's  right  and  duty  to  take  part  in  the  settle- 
ment of  the  questions  then  at  issue.  Hence  he  asked 
the  Legislature  to  issue  an  immediate  call  for  a  State 
convention,  in  order  "that  the  will  of  the  people  may 
be  ascertained  and  effectuated."  He  also  declared  that 
it  might  soon  become  necessary  to  send  delegates  to  a 
convention  of  the  Southern  States,  or  of  all  the  States. 

The  message  of  Governor  Jackson  caused  widespread 


234 

alarm  among  all  who  had  determined  to  remain  loyal  to 
the  Union.  It  was  an  expression  of  secession  in  lan- 
guage as  bold  as  he  dared  utter. 

The  Legislature  proceeded  at  once  to  pass  a  bill  for 
calling  a  State  convention.  During  the  discussion  of 
the  measure,  the  line  between  the  Unionists  and  seces- 
sionists was  clearly  drawn.  Mr.  Randolph  proposed  to 
amend  the  original  bill  so  that  the  .State  could  not 
secede  without  the  question  being  first  submitted  by 
vote  to  the  people.  This  measure  was  opposed  by  the 
men  who  were  determined  to^force  the  State  out  of  the 
Union. 

Mr.  Lacy,  from  Cape  Girardeau,  offered  a  substitute 
for  Mr.  Randolph's  amendment.  This  provided  that 
the  convention,  when  assembled,  should  have  no  power 
to  change  the  existing  relations  of  the  State  of  Missouri 
to  the  government  of  the  United  States;  or  of  any  State 
thereof,  until  the  act,  ordinance,  or  resolution  making 
such  change  was  submitted  to  the  people  of  Missouri, 
and  approved  by  a  majority  of  the  qualified  voters 
voting  at  the  election. 

The  extreme  secessionists  opposed  this  substitute  as 
strongly  as  they  did  the  original  amendment.  'But  it 
was  carried  in  the  House,  and,  after  some  slight  amend- 
ments in  the  Senate,  it  passed  both  houses.  This  was  a 
great  victory  for  the  Union  men.  They  had  confidence 
in  the  people  of  Missouri,  and  believed  that  if  the  ques- 
tion of  secession  were  submitted  to  them,  they  would 
vote  it  down. 

Hon.  Daniel  R.  Russel,  a  commissioner  from  Missis- 
sippi, was  in  Jefferson  City  at  this  time.  His  mission 


235 

was  to  express  an  earnest  hope  that  Missouri  would 
cooperate  with  the  South  in  the  adoption  of  measures 
for  the  common  defense  and  safety  of  the  slaveholding 
States.  But  the  bill  which  had  just  passed  both 
branches  of  the  Legislature  made  it  apparent  that 
Missouri  did  not  intend  to  act  hastily  in  the  matter. 

This  was  in  January,  1861,  before  the  inauguration 
of  President  Lincoln.  The  whole  State,  and  in  fact 
the  whole  nation,  was  in  doubt  and  suspense.  Wildest 
rumors  flew  everywhere.  Governor  Jackson  claimed  to 
be  a  Union  man,  but  always  with  the  proviso  that  the 
national  government  should  not  interfere  with  the 
seceded  States. 

To  adjust  matters  amicably,  and  avoid  a  threatened 
civil  war,  the  Peace  Congress,  as  it  was  called,  was  pro- 
posed. It  was  held  in  Washington,  D.C.,  February  4, 
1 86 1,  and  the  people  of  Missouri  took  great  interest  in 
its  efforts.  It  was  hoped  that  the  Peace  Congress 
would  agree  upon  some  satisfactory  and  honorable 
plan  of  reconciling  the  interests  of  the  North  and  the 
South,  and  of  averting  the  danger  of  civil  war.  Waldo 
P.  Johnson,  John  D.  Coulter,  A.  W.  Doniphan,  Harrison 
Hough,  and  A.  H.  Buckner  were  sent  to  Washington 
as  commissioners  from  Missouri  to  this  Congress. 
Ex-President  John  Tyler,  of  Virginia,  was  chosen  as 
its  presiding  officer.  It  failed  to  accomplish  what  had 
been  hoped  for,  however,  and  its  proceedings  do  not 
concern  Missouri. 

Waldo  P.  Johnson  was  elected  to  the  United  States 
Senate  from  Missouri  in  March,  1861,  but  had  not 
served  a  year  when  both  he  and  Trusten  Polk,  the  other 


236 

senator  from  Missouri,  were  expelled  from  that  body 
for  sympathy  and  participation  in  the  war  against  the 
Union. 

Meanwhile,  all  eyes  were  upon  the  governor  and  Leg- 
islature. Notwithstanding  the  passage  of  the  bill  call- 
ing for  a  convention,  there  were  many  who  feared  that 
before  Lincoln's  inauguration  the  extreme  secessionists 
would  force  the  State  out  of  the  Union. 

On  February  18,  1861,  delegates  to  the  State  conven- 
tion were  elected.  There  was  an  active,  and  in  some 
places  an  exciting,  canvass.  According  to  the  law,  each 
senatorial  district  was  entitled  to  three  times  as  many 
delegates  as  it  had  members  in  the  Senate.  The  ques- 
tion of  secession,  so  far  as  the  people  were  concerned, 
was  practically  settled  by  that  election ;  for  a  majority 
of  eighty  thousand  votes  was  cast  against  it. 

The  convention  assembled  in  the  courthouse  at  Jef- 
ferson City,  February  28,  1861,  just  four  days  before 
the  inauguration  of  President  Lincoln.  Hon.  Hamilton 
R.  Gamble,  a  pronounced  Unionist,  was  the  soul  and 
spirit  of  that  assembly.  He  swayed  it  at  will,  so  much 
so  that  it  was  called  the  "  Gamble  convention." 

Perhaps  a  wiser  choice  of  delegates  to  a  convention 
was  never  made.  Some  of  the  greatest  statesmen  and 
lawyers  in  Missouri  composed  it.  They  steered  the 
Ship  of  State  through  the  early  storm  of  war,  and  kept 
her  off  the  rock  of  secession  on  which  so  many  of  her 
Southern  sisters  were  wrecked. 


XXXV. 

CAMP  JACKSON. 

THE  expressions  in  Governor  Jackson's  inaugural 
message  were  sufficient  to  arouse  the  apprehen- 
sions of  all  lovers  of  the  Union.  These  apprehensions 
were  soon  afterwards  greatly  increased  by  the  gov- 
ernor's calling  out  the  State  Guard,  under  General 
D.  M.  Frost. 

At  this  time  there  were  in  the  St.  Louis  arsenal  forty 
thousand  muskets  and  bayonets,  and  other  munitions  of 
war.  When  General  Frost,  though  declaring  the  best 
intentions,  began  to  assemble  the  State  Guard  near 
the  arsenal,  it  was  believed  to  be  his  design  to  seize  the 
arms,  and  equip  these  militiamen  as  a  part  of  the 
Southern  army. 

Major  William  H.  Bell  was  commander  of  the  arsenal. 
He  was  evidently  in  sympathy  with  the  Southern  cause, 
for  he  even  expressed  a  willingness  to  turn  over  the 
arms  to  the  guards.  But  this  was  early  in  January,  and 
so  confident  were  the  secessionists  that  Missouri  would 
be  "voted  out  of  the  Union"  on  the  i8th  of  February, 
that  they  were  unwilling  to  precipitate  matters.  The 
correspondence  between  Governor  Jackson  and  D.  M. 
Frost  shows  treasonable  intent  toward  the  government. 

There  was  a  loyal,  watchful  man  in  St.  Louis,  named 

237 


238 


Francis  P.  Blair,  who  determined  to  save  the  State  for 
the  Union.  In  connection  with  O.  D.  Filley,  he  began 
quietly  to  organize  and  discipline  a  regiment  for  the  pur- 
pose of  preventing  the  arsenal  at  St.  Louis  from  falling 
into  the  hands  of  the  secessionists.  This  was  necessary, 
for  the  arsenal  was  guarded  by  not  more  than  forty 
men,  under  a  commander  whose  loyalty  one  may  doubt. 
A  Union  safety  committee,  appointed  by  the  Presi- 
dent and  Secretary  of 
War,  was  organized 
in  January,  1861.  It 
was  composed  of 
the  following  distin- 
guished citizens  of  St. 
Louis:  O.  D.  Filley, 
chairman,  James  O. 
Broadhead,  secretary, 
General  Francis  P. 
Blair,  John  How,  Sam- 
uel T.  Glover,  and  J.  J.  Witzig.  Companies 
were  organized  and  secretly  drilled  in  O.  D. 
Filley's  store  for  mutual  protection  in  case  of  a  se- 
cessionist attack.  By  the  foresight  and  watchfulness 
of  Filley  and  Blair,  an  army  was  quietly  prepared  for 
Captain  Lyon,  when  no  one  dreamed  that  there  was 
more  than  a  handful  of  soldiers  to  defend  the  cause  of 
the  Union. 

On  the  nth  of  January,  there  arrived  some  reinforce- 
ments of  regular  soldiers  at  the  barracks,  and  on  the 
24th  of  the  same  month,  while  Frost  was  congratulating 
Governor  Jackson  on  the  ease  with  which  they  could 


239 

arm  the  soldiers,  Major  Bell  was  relieved  and  Major 
Hagner  took  his  place.  This  disconcerted  the  plans  of 
Frost  and  Jackson;  and  when  on  February  18,  the 
day  for  the  election  of  delegates  to  the  State  convention, 
the  people  declared  so  emphatically  against  secession, 
any  one  less  blinded  than  Jackson  would  have  seen  the 
folly  and  ruin  of  continuing  his  course. 

On  February  6,  Captain  Nathaniel  Lyon  of  the 
regular  army  arrived  at  the  arsenal  in  St.  Louis.  He 
is  described  as  "  a  small,  angular  man,  with  abundant 
sandy  hair,  and  a  coarse,  reddish-brown  beard.  He  had 
deep-set  blue  eyes,  features  rough  and  homely,  and  the 
weather-beaten  aspect  of  a  man  who  had  seen  much 
service  on  the  frontier." 

General  Harney  was  in  command  of  the  Department 
of  Missouri,  and  came  to  St.  Louis  about  the  time  of 
the  arrival  of  Captain  Lyon.  The  commander,  however, 
had  many  friends  and  relatives  in  sympathy  with  the 
South,  and,  soon  after  the  inauguration  of  President 
Lincoln,  he  was  ordered  to  Washington  to  explain  his 
own  views. 

His  departure  left  Lyon  in  command,  and  the  captain 
determined  to  seize  the  opportunity  to  act.  The  State 
Guard  under  General  D.  M.  Frost  was  encamped  just 
without  the  city,  at  a  place  named  Camp  Jackson  in 
honor  of  the  governor  of  the  State. 

Captain  Lyon  was  justified  in  his  suspicions  of  the 
commander  of  the  State  Guard,  for  Frost  was  acting 
under  Jackson,  who  was  an  avowed  secessionist.  After 
the  fall  of  Fort  Sumter,  President  Lincoln  made  his 
first  call  for  seventy-five  thousand  men.  Missouri's 


240 

quota  was  fixed  at  four  regiments,  which  Governor 
Jackson  was  requested  to  furnish.  In  reply  to  the 
demand,  the  governor,  on  April  17,  1861,  defiantly 
informed  Hon.  Simon  Cameron,  Secretary  of  War,  that 
he  regarded  the  requisition  as  illegal,  unconstitutional, 
and  revolutionary ;  that  its  object  was  inhuman  and  dia- 
bolical ;  and  that  it  could  not  be  complied  with.  He 
concluded  his  answer  with  the  assertion,  that  "  Not 
one  man  will  the  State  of  Missouri  furnish  to  carry  on 
such  an  unholy  crusade." 

Jackson,  through  General  Frost,  was  raising  an  army. 
According  to  his  own  words  these  troops  could  not  be 
for  the  support  of  the  national  government ;  therefore 
his  army  must  be  against  it. 

As  soon  as  General  Harney  was  gone,  Captain  Lyon 
determined  to  strike  a  blow  that  would  check  the  rising 
of  the  State  Guard  in  the  interest  of  Governor  Jackson ; 
for  he  had  reasons  to  think  that  it  was  time  to  act. 
By  order  of  the  governor,  the  United  States  arsenal  at 
Liberty  had  been  seized  on  April  20,  1861.  Moreover, 
two  of  the  avenues  in  Camp  Jackson  were  called 
"  Davis "  and  "  Beauregard,"  in  honor  of  two  of  the 
most  noted  Confederate  leaders.  Captain  Lyon  also 
suspected  that  the  camp  was  being  fortified  with  ord- 
nance taken  by  the  Confederates  from  Federal  arsenals  ; 
for  it  was  said  that  boxes  marked  "  marble,"  which  had 
been  hauled  there  from  the  river,  contained  cannon  and 
mortars,  and  that  barrels  of  ammunition  had  been  sent 
with  them. 

To  satisfy  himself  as  to  the  truth  of  these  reports, 
the  captain  determined  to  turn  spy  and  reconnoiter  the 


24 1 


camp  himself.  He  borrowed  a  dress,  shawl,  and  bon- 
net of  a  friend,  and  disguised  himself  in  this  female 
attire.  Accompanied  by  Captain  J.  J.  Witzig  as  guide, 
he  entered  a  carriage  and  rode  around  Camp  Jackson 
unsuspected.  What  he  saw  and  heard  was  sufficient 
to  rouse  him  to  immediate  action. 

After  he  was  convinced  of  the  treasonable  intent  of 
Jackson  and  Frost,  Lyon  held  a  consultation  with  the 
committee  of  safety,  and  acquainted  them  with  his 
design  to  seize  the  camp. 
They  all  approved  it,  ex- 
cept Glover  and  How. 

On  May  10,  General 
Frost,  learning  of  the  plan, 
wrote  to  Captain  Lyon,  de- 
nying that  he  had  any 
hostile  intentions  toward 
the  government,  or  any  de- 
sign on  the  arsenal.  Lyon 
responded  that  Frost's  com- 
mand was  regarded  as  hos- 
tile toward  the  government 
of  the  United  States ;  that 
Frost  was  in  open  communi-  General  Nathaniel  Lyon. 

cation  with  the  Confederacy,  and  was  receiving  supplies 
and  munitions  of  war  from  it ;  that  he  had  refused  to 
disperse  his  forces  in  obedience  to  the  proclamation  of 
the  President;  and  that  the  immediate  necessities  of 
state  policy  and  warfare,  and  the  obligations  imposed 
upon  himself  by  his  instructions,  compelled  him  to 
demand  immediate  surrender.  The  only  promise  he 

STO.  OF  MO.  —  1 6 


242 

made  was  that  the  prisoners  should  be  humanely  and 
kindly  treated. 

General  Frost  could  not  misunderstand  this  com- 
munication. Before  it  reached  him,  however,  Lyon 
and  Blair  had  started  out  with  between  six  and  seven 
thousand  well-armed  troops,  and  twenty  pieces  of  ar- 
tillery, and  were  on  their  way  from  the  barracks  to 
Camp  Jackson. 

As  told  in  the  St.  Louis  newspapers  of  the  time,  the 
soldiers  rapidly  surrounded  the  camp,  planting  their 
batteries  upon  all  the  heights  overlooking  it.  Long 
files  of  men  were  stationed  in  platoons  on  every  side, 
and  a  picket  guard  was  established,  covering  an  area  of 
two  hundred  yards.  The  guards,  with  fixed  bayonets 
and  muskets  at  half  cock,  were  instructed  to  allow  none 
to  pass  within  the  limit  thus  taken  up. 

By  this  time  an  immense  crowd  of  people  had  assem- 
bled in  the  vicinity.  They  came  in  carriages,  buggies, 
cars,  and  baggage  wagons,  on  horseback,  and  on  foot. 
Some  had  arms,  as  is  supposed,  with  the  intention  of 
assisting  the  State  troops,  but  the  careful  planting  of 
the  guard  prevented  them  from  entering  the  camp. 
The  hills  in  the  neighborhood  were  covered  with 
people,  and  hundreds  of  women  and  children  mingled 
with  the  throngs,  little  dreaming  of  danger. 

On  receiving  Captain  Lyon's  demand  for  surrender, 
General  Frost  called  a  hasty  consultation  of  the  officers 
of  his  staff.  Resistance  was  clearly  out  of  the  ques- 
tion, and  they  decided  to  surrender.  The  State  troops 
were  therefore  made  prisoners  of  war,  but  were  offered 
their  release  on  condition  that  they  would  take  an  oath 


243 


to  support  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and 
not  to  take  up  arms  against  the  government.  All  but 
^  eight  or  ten  preferred  to  remain 
^s^Sfak .  in  confinement. 

The     prisoners,      about 
eight  hundred 


u 

in     number, 

were  formed 

in    line     for 

marching  to 

the  arsenal.    The  brigade  was  headed 

by  General  Frost  and  his  staff  on  horseback,  and  with 

colors  flying  and  drums  beating,    they    marched   to   a 

wood  that   skirted  the  road. 

About  half  past  five,  the  prisoners  of  war  left  the 
grove  and  entered  the  road.  The  United  States  sol- 
diers inclosed  them  in  a  single  file  stretched  along 
each  side  of  the  line.  When  a  halt  was  made,  large 
crowds  of  people  pressed  forward,  hooting  and  jeering. 


244 

Then  some  German  soldiers  at  the  head  of  the  column 
lost  their  temper  and  opened  fire.  Fortunately,  no  one 
was  injured,  and  the  soldiers  who  had  discharged  their 
guns  were  promptly  put  under  arrest. 

Hardly  was  tranquillity  restored,  however,  when  volley 
after  volley  was  heard  from  the  extreme  rear,  and  men, 
women,  and  children  were  seen  flying  frantically  from 
the  place.  While  running,  many  were  shot  down,  and 
the  wounded  and  dying  made  the  late  beautiful  field  look 
like  a  battle  ground.  The  number  of  killed  and  wounded 
was  about  twenty-five,  including  two  women  and  one 
child,  The  soldiers  who  fired  claimed  that  they  were 
first  attacked  with  stones,  and  fired  upon  by  the  crowd. 
The  firing  was  done  by  Boernstein's  company,  and  at 
the  command  of  an  officer. 

Night  closed  in,  and  hid  the  ghastly  horrors  of  the 
scene.  A  German  regiment  took  possession  of  Camp 
Jackson,  and  the  prisoners  were  conducted  to  the 
barracks. 

The  feeling  in  the  city  that  night  was  intense.  The 
most  frequented  streets  and  avenues  were  thronged  with 
citizens  in  the  highest  state  of  excitement.  Loud  huzzas 
and  occasional  shots  were  heard  in  various  localities. 
All  public  resorts  were  closed  at  dark,  and  the  windows 
of  private  dwellings  were  fastened,  in  the  fear  of  a 
general  riot ;  but  the  police  succeeded  in  preventing 
any  serious  outbreak. 

Next  day,  General  Frost  and  his  command  were 
all  paroled  and  set  at  liberty,  with  the  exception  of 
Captain  Emmet  McDonald,  who  refused  to  take  the 
oath  required. 


XXXVI. 
A   GOVERNOR'S    FLIGHT. 

MAY  12,  1 86 1,  two  days  after  Camp  Jackson  was 
taken,  Brigadier-General  W.  S.  Harney,  com- 
mandant of  the  department,  returned  to  St.  Louis  from 
Washington.  He  approved  of  what  Lyon  had  done, 
but  issued  a  proclamation  intended  to  conciliate  all 
parties. 

Immediately  after  the  capture  of  Camp  Jackson,  how- 
ever, the  Legislature  passed  a  law,  called  the  "  Military 
Bill,"  which  provided  for  arming  the  militia.  This  law 
was  cause  for  a  second  proclamation  from  General 
Harney.  He  denounced  the  Military  Bill  as  "an  in- 
direct secession  ordinance,  ignoring  even  the  forms 
resorted  to  by  other  States,  and  unconstitutional  and 
void."  But  he  declared  no  intention  to  use  the  soldiers 
under  his  command,  unless  forced  to  do  so. 

Under  the  new  military  bill  the  governor  appointed 
Sterling  Price  major  general  of  the  State  Guard.  This 
man  was  a  former  Congressman,  an  ex-governor  of 
the  State,  and  one  of  the  heroes  of  the  Mexican  War. 

In  order  to  preserve  the  public  peace,  Harney  and 
Price  held  a  conference  in  St.  Louis  on  May  21.  As  a 
result  of  this  meeting,  both  signed  an  agreement,  by 
which  the  management  of  the  State  Guard  was  turned 
over  to  General  Price,  under  direction  of  Governor 

245 


246 


General  Sterling  Price. 


Jackson ;  and  General  Harney 
,  *r  «  publicly  declared  that    he  had 

^     >'-t  ;lMul\       '  .  1$V^ 

no  desire  to  make  any  military 
movement  "  which  might  other- 
wise    create     excitement    and 
jealousies."     On  the  same  day, 
General  Harney  issued  a  procla- 
mation to  the  people  of  Missouri, 
setting  forth  the  compact,  and 
stating  that  the  forces  of 
both    the    State    and  the 
Federal  governments  were 
pledged    to    bring    about 
peace. 

General  Harney's  ac- 
tions were  not  approved 
by  the  national  government,  and  he  was  relieved  from 
the  command  of  the  post.  Captain  Lyon  succeeded 
him.  It  was  well  that  he  did,  for  the  general  had 
already  taken  steps  for  removing  the  Federal  troops 
from  Missouri.  Governor  Jackson  and  General  Price, 
in  accordance  with  the  arrangement,  disbanded  the 
State  troops  at  Jefferson  City,  and  ordered  them  home 
to  drill  and  receive  military  instruction. 

The  removal  of  General  Harney  and  the  appoint- 
ment of  Captain  Lyon  precipitated  affairs.  With 
the  views  Jackson  held,  he  would  in  any  case  have 
gone  with  the  Confederate  States.  It  is  quite  proba- 
ble, however,  that  under  different  circumstances  Price 
would  have  remained  what  he  first  declared  himself  to 
be,  a  Union  man.  He  never  favored  secession,  and 


247 

only  his  loyalty  to  Missouri,   according  to  his  own  pe- 
culiar views,  forced  him  into  the  Confederate  army. 

On  June  n,  1861,  there  was  a  second  conference 
between  the  officers  of  State  and  Federal  governments. 
This  interview  was  held  at  the  Planters  House  in  St. 
Louis.  General  Nathaniel  Lyon,  Colonel  Francis  P. 
Blair,  and  Major  H.  A.  Conant  represented  the  United 
States,  while  Governor  C.  F.  Jackson,  General  Sterling 
Price,  and  Colonel  Thomas  L.  Snead  represented 
the  State.  An  eyewitness  of  the  scene  says, — 

"  Lyon  advanced  into  the  room,  a  little,  red-haired, 
precise,  positive,  plain  man.  He  sat  down  and  crossed 
one  leg  over  the  other  stiffly,  and  his  face  was  serious 
and  stern.  He  spoke  each  word  separate  from  the 
other,  pronouncing  the  little  words,  like  my  and  to, 
with  as  much  emphasis  as  the  longer  words.  He 
raised  his  right  arm  automatically  as  the  conversation 
proceeded,  and  brought  it  down  with  a  jerk,  extending 
the  forefinger,  yet  never  speaking  higher  or  lower 
than  at  first. 

" '  I  shall  take  small  part  in  this  conference/  said 
Lyon.  '  Mr.  Blair  is  familiar  with  this  question,  and 
knows  the  views  of  my  government,  and  has  its  full 
confidence.  What  he  has  to  say  will  have  my  support/ 

"  Yet  in  half  an  hour  he  took  the  case  out  of  Blair's 
mouth  and  advanced  to  the  front,  and  Frank  Blair 
was  as  dumb  as  Lyon  had  been." 

Governor  Jackson's  object  was  to  prevent  the  enlist- 
ment of  men  in  his  State  to  help  force  the  Confederate 
States  back  into  the  Union.  His  last  attempt  was  to 
get  Lyon  to  agree  that  neither  side  should  recruit 


248 

troops  in  Missouri.     Shaking  his  head,  Lyon  rose  and 
in  his  measured,  even,  earnest  tones  said,— 

"  Rather  than  agree  that  my  government  shall  con- 
cede to  your   government   one  iota  of  authority  as  to 


one  man  to  be  recruited,  one  inch  of  soil  to  be  divided 
in  allegiance  or  neutralized  between  my  government 
and  your  government,  I  will  see  you,  Sir  (pointing  to 
Price),  and  you,  Sir  (pointing  to  Jackson),  and  myself, 


249 

and  all  of  us,  under  the  sod !  "  Then  taking  out  his 
watch  he  glanced  at  it,  and  added:  "You  shall  have 
safe  conduct  out  of  my  lines  for  one  hour.  Meanwhile, 
you  can  get  dinner.  It  is  now  three  o'clock." 

The  subject  was  beyond  further  discussion.  Jack- 
son, Price,  and  Snead  took  a  hurried  dinner,  and  left 
St.  Louis  on  an  express  train.  Fearing  that  Lyon 
would  catch  them  before  they  reached  Jefferson  City, 
they  burned  bridges  and  cut  telegraph  communications 
behind  them. 

Next  day,  Governor  Jackson  issued  a  proclamation 
calling  into  active  service  fifty  thousand  militiamen  "  for 
the  purpose  of  repelling  invasion,  and  for  the  protection 
of  the  lives,  liberty,  and  property  of  the  citizens  of  the 
State."  With  this  act  the  civil  war  in  Missouri  began. 

No  man  was  ever  more  decisive  or  quick  to  act 
than  General  Lyon.  On  June  13,  the  day  after  Gov- 
ernor Jackson's  proclamation,  he  started  up  the  Mis- 
souri River  with  steamboats  carrying  fifteen  hundred 
soldiers.  He  was  accompanied  by  Colonel  Francis  P. 
Blair,  who  commanded  the  First  Missouri  regiment  of 
volunteer  infantry. 

Jackson  and  Price  were  advised  of  their  approach,  and 
at  once  left  the  capital  on  the  steamboat  "White  Cloud." 

On  Saturday,  June  15,  at  three  o'clock  P.M.,  the 
forces  of  General  Lyon  reached  Jefferson  City,  disem- 
barked, and  took  possession  of  the  town.  But  the  gov- 
ernor had  gone.  Missouri  was  without  a  chief  executive 
until  July  30,  1861,  when  the  State  convention  appointed 
Hon.  Hamilton  R.  Gamble  to  fill  the  office.  He  is 
known  in  history  as  the  war  governor  of  Missouri. 


XXXVII. 
A    HERO'S    DEATH. 

ON  June  1 6,  General  Lyon  left  Jefferson  City  in 
command  of  Colonel  Henry  Boernstein,  and 
went  up  the  river  to  Boonville  with  most  of  his  troops. 
The  wisdom  of  this  prompt  action  may  be  seen  from 
the  fact  that  Price  and  Jackson  were  rapidly  raising 
an  army.  The  conference  between  Lyon  and  Jackson, 
with  their  associates,  was  on  June  n.  On  the  I2th, 
Jackson  issued  his  call  for  fifty  thousand  men.  On 
the  1 4th,  Jackson  and  Price  left  Jefferson  City,  and 
on  the  1 6th  they  had  collected  at  Boonville  an  army 
of  three  or  four  thousand  men.  A  week's  hesitation  or 
delay  would  have  given  them  an  overwhelming  force. 

General  Price  was  at  this  time  taken  seriously  ill,  and 
left  on  the  "White  Cloud"  for  his  residence  in  Chari- 
ton  County.  Governor  Jackson  and  Colonel  John  S. 
Marmaduke,  a  West  Point  graduate,  were  left  to  resist 
the  advance  of  Lyon  and  Blair.  Their  men  were  poorly 
armed,  equipped,  and  disciplined  to  meet  the  United 
States  forces,  and  less  than  half  of  them  were  at  all 
prepared  for  immediate  service ;  but  these  "  were  full 
of  fight,"  and  insisted  on  being  led  against  the  enemy. 
Halfway  from  Rocheport  to  Boonville  the  two  armies 
met,  and  Lyon  began  the  conflict  with  a  few  rounds 

250 


251 

from  Totten's  artillery.  The  State  troops  were  driven 
from  their  position  again  and  again,  but  they  behaved 
gallantly  for  raw  recruits.  Lyon  at  last  forced  them 
from  the  field,  however,  and  they  fled  to  Boonville. 

According  to  the  best  accounts  to  be  had,  the  United 
States  forces  lost  two  killed,  nine  wounded,  and  one 
missing ;  their  opponents  had  two  killed  and  several 
wounded.  This  first  conflict  in  Missouri  was  only  a 
skirmish,  and  a  year  later  would  hardly  have  been 
noticed  in  an  official  report. 

On  June  17,  General  Lyon  occupied  Boonville,  and 
issued  a  proclamation  declaring  that  he  intended  to 
use  the  force  under  his  command,  for  no  other  purpose 
than  the  maintenance  of  the  authority  of  the  general 
government,  and  for  the  protection  of  the  rights  and 
property  of  all  law-abiding  citizens. 

When  Jackson  fled  from  Boonville,  he  went  to  Arrow 
Rock,  in  Saline  County,  and  from  there  to  Syracuse, 
where  he  gathered  about  him  a  force  of  sixteen  hundred 
men.  Lyon  sent  a  Federal  force  to  capture  him,  but 
Jackson  and  his  men  escaped  to  southwest  Missouri. 

On  July  5,  1861,  Colonel  Franz  Sigel,  who  had  en- 
tered Jasper  County,  met  the  force  under  Governor 
Jackson,  and  Generals  Rains  and  Parsons,  near  Car- 
thage. After  a  conflict  of  two  hours  it  became  dark. 
Sigel  fell  back  into  Carthage,  and  then  to  Sarcoxie. 
His  loss  was  twenty-four  killed  and  forty-five  wounded, 
but  Jackson's  loss  was  fully  as  great. 

In  the  mean  while,  General  Price  had  gone  from  his 
home  to  Lexington,  and  then  to  Arkansas,  where  he 
induced  the  Confederate  McCulloch  to  march  north  to 


252 

Jackson's  aid.  For  some  time  after  this,  southwestern 
Missouri  was  held  by  the  followers  of  Jackson,  while 
the  northern  and  eastern  parts  of  the  State  were  mostly 
controlled  by  Union  men.  Each  party  was  busily  en- 
gaged in  raising  and  equipping  troops. 

Governor  Jackson,  after  a  visit  to  Richmond,  issued 
a  proclamation,  in  which  he  declared  Missouri  a  SOVER- 
EIGN, FREE,  AND  INDEPENDENT  REPUBLIC,  with  full 
power  to  levy  war,  conclude  peace,  contract  alliances, 
establish  commerce,  and  do  all  other  acts  and  things 
which  an  independent  State  may  do.  This  was  early 
in  August.  In  October,  Jackson's  followers  in  the 
General  Assembly  met  and  adopted  measures,  on  the 
strength  of  which  Missouri  was  formally  admitted  to 
the  Confederacy.  To  avoid  confusion,  however,  the 
Jackson  State  troops  may  be  called  Confederates  even 
before  this  time. 

On  July  6,  1861,  the  authorities  at  Washington  cre- 
ated what  was  called  the  "  Western  Department  "  in  the 
army.  That  is,  the  armies  in  a  certain  number  of  States 
and  Territories  were  to  be  commanded  by  one  general. 
The  Western  Department  included  the  State  of  Illinois 
and  all  the  States  and  Territories  west  of  the  Missis- 
sippi and  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  including  New 
Mexico.  Major-General  John  C.  Fremont  was  appointed 
to  command  the  department,  with  headquarters  at  St. 
Louis. 

Fremont  was  a  prominent  man  at  that  time.  He 
was  a  son-in-law  of  the  late  Senator  Thomas  H.  Benton, 
and  had  made  himself  so  famous  as  an  explorer  that 
he  is  known  in  history  as  the  "  Path  Finder."  He 


253 

was  also  the  Republican  candidate  for  President  in 
1856.  When  the  war  broke  out,  he  was  in  Europe; 
but  he  hastened  to  America,  and  on  the  26th  of  July 
reached  St.  Louis. 

Meanwhile,  the  hero  of  the  war  in  Missouri,  General 
Nathaniel  Lyon,  was  in  the  field  guarding  southern 
Missouri,  ready,  if  need  be,  to  lay  his  own  body  "  under 
the  sod"  for  his  country.  He  held  his  command  in 
the  vicinity  of  Springfield,  which  was  seriously  threat- 
ened by  a  much  greater  force  under  Price,  McCulloch, 
Pearce,  and  McBride. 

Toward  the  last  of  July,  General  Lyon  was  informed 
of  the  concentration  of  Southern  troops  at  Cassville. 
He  determined  to  go  out  and  meet  them  with  his  army. 
Altogether,  he  had  five  thousand  five  hundred  infantry, 
four  hundred  cavalry,  and  eighteen  pieces  of  artillery ; 
but  of  this  slender  force  he  was  compelled  to  leave 
enough  to  guard  the  city.  The  Confederate  army 
under  General  Rains  was  met  by  Lyon  at  Dug  Springs, 
August  2.  The  fight  was  stubborn,  but  at  last  Rains 
was  forced  to  beat  a  retreat.  His  loss  was  eighty  killed 
and  wounded,  while  Lyon  had  eight  killed  and  thirty 
wounded. 

After  a  short  pursuit,  General  Lyon  returned  to 
Springfield,  which  point  he  reached  August  6.  Real- 
izing the  overwhelming  numbers  which  were  confront- 
ing him,  he  had  repeatedly  called  on  General  Fremont 
for  reinforcements.  But  from  rumors  that  reached  his 
ears  Fremont  supposed  that  Cairo  and  Bird  Point  were 
threatened ;  and  he  therefore  decided  not  to  help 
Lyon,  whose  small  army  of  less  than  six  thousand  was 


254 

confronted   by  one  twice  as  large,   and  constantly  in- 
creasing. 

With  a  fleet  of  eight  boats  Fremont  steamed  down 
the  river  to  Bird  Point  with  all  his  army.  No  enemy 
threatened  the  place,  and  it  is  probable  that  Pillow 
had  intentionally  decoyed  him  thither  to  prevent  his  re- 
inforcing General  Lyon.  Fremont  steamed  back  again 
without  having  seen  an  enemy,  and  many  historians 
doubt  if  Bird  Point  was  at  any  time  in  danger. 

The  combined  armies  of  Price  and  McCulloch 
marched  toward  Springfield,  and  on  August  9  they 
reached  Wilson  Creek.  Here  they  encamped,  intend- 
ing to  march  against  Lyon  at  nine  next  morning.  It 
was  their  original  intention  to  march  on  the  town  that 
night,  but  a  storm  threatened,  and  as  the  darkness  was 
intense,  McCulloch  countermanded  the  order. 

The  night  was  not  too  dark  or  stormy,  however,  for 
General  Lyon.  Left  to  his  fate  by  his  commander, 
he  determined  to  strike  a  blow  that  would  paralyze  the 
ever-increasing  enemy,  if  it  cost  him  his  life.  Apprised 
of  the  advance  of  the  Confederates,  he  left  Springfield 
at  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  marched  through  dark- 
ness and  storm,  and  came  in  sight  of  the  enemy's  camp 
fires  at  one  o'clock  in  the  morning.  He  halted  his  men, 
and  they  lay  on  their  arms  until  daylight,  and  then 
quickly  formed. 

The  morning  attack  by  Lyon  and  Sigel  was  a  com- 
plete surprise  to  the  Confederates,  whose  outposts  were 
quickly  driven  in.  Totten's  battery  opened  a  terrible 
fire,  and  the  forests  and  hills  seemed  ablaze.  Union 
skirmishers  were  thrown  forward,  and  Lyon's  forces 


255 

advanced,  the  firing  increasing  until  the  column  com- 
manded by  him  was  warmly  engaged.  The  constant 
rolling  volleys,  the  deafening  echoes,  shouts,  and 
groans  made  a  terrible  din.  At  times,  Lyon's  column 
was  wrapped  in  smoke. 

The  sun  rose  and  looked  down  on  the  fearful  con- 
flict. The  fields  and  woods  were  covered  with  slain, 
and  still  the  battle  raged.  Sometimes  the  Union  forces 
seemed  on  the  verge  of  victory,  then  overwhelming  odds 
drove  them  back,  in  spite  of  all  Lyon's  skill  and  valor. 

In  the  mean  while  the  troops  under  Sigel  had  been 
put  to  flight.  Their  guns  were  heard  over  the  hill  for 
a  while,  then  became  silent,  and  every  one  asked,  — 

"Where  is  Sigel?" 

While  endeavoring  to  rally  the  Union  lines  which 
had  been  thrown  into  confusion,  on  the  left  of  Tot- 
ten's  battery,  General  Lyon  was  wounded  in  the  leg 
and  head,  and  his  horse  was  killed.  Though  the 
wounds  were  slight,  he  bled  profusely.  He  bound 
a  handkerchief  about  his  head,  and  Major  Sturgis 
dismounted  one  of  his  orderlies,  and  gave  his  horse 
to  the  general. 

Some  Iowa  troops  had  lost  their  colonel,  and  were 
in  confusion.  They  were  ordered  to  charge  the  ad- 
vancing Confederates. 

"We  have  no  leader,"  cried  some  one. 

"  Come  on  !  I  will  lead  you !  "  shouted  General 
Lyon,  and  waving  his  hat  he  once  more  shouted, 
"  Come  on  !  " 

It  was  near  nine  o'clock ;  and  Lyon,  for  the  first  time 
doubtful,  yet  brave  to  the  last,  led  in  the  attack.  He 


256 


rode  his  horse  between    the    First   Kansas   and    First 
Iowa  regiments,  waving  his  sword,  and  shouting  and 

urging  the  soldiers  on  to  the 
conflict.     He  wore  a 
white  felt  hat  and  his 
old  captain's  uniform. 
He  looked  stunned  and 
white,  yet  brave  and  de- 
fiant,    and   shouted     re- 
peatedly, — 
"Come  on!" 
The    blood    was    tric- 
kling down  one  side  of   his  face. 
He  had  gone  about  one  hundred 
,.-.  yards,  when  a  bullet  struck  him  in 
the  breast,  inflicting  a  fatal  wound. 
As  he  slowly  dismounted  and  fell  into 
the  arms  of  his  bodyguard,  he  gasped,  — 
"Lehman,  I'm  going!  " 

Captain  Herron  asked  him  if  he  was  much  hurt. 
"  No,"  he  answered.     But  he  probably  did  not  know 
what  he  said ;  for  he  died  almost  immediately. 

Sturgis  took  command,  and  drove  the  Confederates 
back  four  hundred  yards ;  but,  in  the  end,  the  Union 
forces  were  compelled  to  retreat  to  Rolla.  The  loss 
on  the  Union  side  was  about  one  thousand,  and  on 
the  other  side  much  greater.  The  conflict  at  Wilson 
Creek  was  the  first  great  battle  in  Missouri. 

General  Lyon's  body  was  first  buried  at  Springfield, 
but  was  afterwards  reinterred  with  great  military  honors 
at  Eastford,  Connecticut,  his  old  home. 


XXXVIII. 
WAR   IN   THE   NORTH. 

WHILE  war  was  raging  in  the  south  and  southwest, 
north  Missouri  for  a  time  enjoyed  comparative 
peace.  Union  troops  were  constantly  being  enlisted, 
and  detachments  of  them  were  stationed  at  various 
towns.  One  regiment,  commanded  by  Colonel  David 
Moore,  was  posted  at  Athens,  in  Clark  County. 

At  the  same  time,  too,  some  soldiers  were  being 
enlisted  on  the  other  side  ;  among  them  was  a  regiment 
under  Colonel  Martin  E.  Greene,  who  determined  to 
drive  the  Union  troops  out  of  Athens. 

About  sunrise,  August  5,  1861,  Greene's  advance 
guard  attacked  Moore's  pickets,  and  drove  them  in. 
Then  the  main  force  in  two  wings  came  up,  and  the 
conflict  became  general. 

It  was  a  fight  between  Missourians,  for  there  were 
scarcely  a  dozen  men  from  any  other  State  on  the  field. 
Many  of  them  had  been  friends  and  neighbors.  Even 
fathers,  sons,  and  brothers  were  arrayed  against  one 
another.  Colonel  David  Moore  himself  had  a  son, 
William,  who  was  a  captain  under  the  Confederate 
Colonel  Greene,  and  who  fought  against  his  father  in 
this  conflict.  It  is  said  that  as  Greene  was  marching  on 
Athens,  some  of  his  officers  remarked  in  Captain  Moore's 
hearing,  — 

STO.  OF  MO.  —  17  257 


258 


"Now,  boys,  we'll  have  old  Moore  without  firing  a 
gun."  To  which  the  son  quickly  responded,— 

"  No,  you  won't.  If  you  think  dad  won't  fight,  you 
are  mistaken.  I  know  the  old  man  too  well." 

His  father  did  fight,  and  sent  the  son,  his  colonel,  and 
their  men  flying  in  confusion,  with  considerable  loss. 
The  fight  at  Athens,  though  really  little  more  than  a 
skirmish,  was  important  as  being  the  first  in  which 
brother  grappled  with  brother  in  north  Missouri. 

Colonel  Mulligan  of  the  Union  forces  had  fortified 
Lexington,  in  Lafayette  County,  just  south  of  the  river, 
and  thither  the  Confederates  under  Price  were  moving. 
Greene  and  all  the  forces  of  the  Confederates  from  the 
northern  part  of  the  State  were  also  moving  in  that 
direction.  Mulligan  threw  up  intrenchments  on  Ma- 


sonic    College 
prises  about 


Hill,  an  eminence  which  corn- 


fifteen  acres  adjoining  the 
city  on  the  north- 
east, and  overlook- 
ing the  Missouri 
River. 

On  September  12, 
1 86 1,  Price  attacked 
the  Union  works.  He 
met  with  a  strong  re- 
sistance, but  by  rolling 
forward  hempen  bales, 
soaked  to  keep  them 
from  taking  fire,  he 
steadily  advanced.  Mulligan,  like  Lyon,  had  appealed 
in  vain  for  reinforcements,  and  after  a  siege  of  fifty- 


259 

two  hours,  he  surrendered  on  the  2Oth.  The  conflict 
had  been  stubborn,  but  the  loss  was  not  great  Forty 
Union  men  were  killed,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty 
wounded,  while  the  Confederate  loss  was  twenty  killed 
and  -seventy-five  wounded.  Price,  however,  captured 
many  arms  and  great  military  stores  in  the  town. 

On  September  27,  General  Fremont,  with  twenty 
thousand  men,  advanced  toward  southwest  Missouri ; 
and  on  the  3<Dth  General  Price  marched  south  toward 
Arkansas,  leaving  a  garrison  of  five  hundred  in  posses- 
sion of  Lexington.  Only  four  days  later,  the  town  was 
reoccupied  by  the  Union  forces. 

This  left  the  northern  part  of  the  State  in  peace  until 
1862.  Early  that  year,  Colonel  Jo  Porter,  knowing  that 
there  were  many  sympathizers  with  the  Southern  cause 
north  of  the  Missouri,  crossed  the  river  with  about 
eighty  men  for  the  purpose  of  rallying  a  Confederate 
force.  Reinforcements  flocked  to  his  standard  so  rap- 
idly that  if  they  could  have  gone  south  of  the  river, 
they  would  have  added  very  materially  to  Price's  army ; 
but  the  country  was  held  by  Union  troops,  and  Porter 
was  compelled  to  fight  many  battles. 

Colonel  Lipscomb,  with  about  four  hundred  and  fifty 
militia,  attacked  Porter's  men  in  June  at  Cherry  Grove, 
in  Schuyler  County,  and  drove  them  into  Knox  County. 
Then  followed  a  skirmish  at  Pierces  Mill,  then  one  at 
Florida. 

Though  Porte.r  was  nearly  all  the  time  on  the  retreat, 
he  was  rapidly  recruiting.  Poindexter,  another  Confed- 
erate, was  raising  troops  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the 
State,  while  Porter  was  at  work  in  the  northeast,  and  it 


26o 

was  the  intention  of  these  two  officers  to  unite  their 
forces,  and  then  join  Price. 

Colonel  Odon  Guitar  of  the  Missouri  State  militia 
attacked  Porter  at  Moores  Mill  in  Callaway  County, 
July  28,  1862.  Guitar  being  reinforced  by  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Shaffer,  Porter  was  driven  from  the  thick  woods 
in  which  he  was  posted,  and  retreated  north. 

Colonel  John  H.  McNiel  was  at  this  time  at  Mexico, 
in  Audrain  County.  With  detachments  of  the  Ninth 
Missouri  State  militia  under  Captain  Leonard,  and  one 
hundred  of  the  "  Merrills  Horse "  under  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Shaffer,  he  gave  chase  to  Porter.  Through 
Honeywell  and  Shelbina,  and  into  Lewis  County,  McNiel 
pressed  the  Confederates.  Porter  attacked  a  force  of 
militia  in  a  brick  house  at  Newark,  and  after  a  sharp 
fight  captured  them,  with  about  three  hundred  stands  of 
arms.  The  prisoners  were  paroled.  McNiel  was  close 
at  hand,  so  Porter  hastily  left  town  and  marched  toward 
Memphis,  Scotland  County. 

He  marched  to  within  three  miles  of  the  town,  and 
then,  finding  McNiel  too  close  in  the  rear,  suddenly 
turned  southwest  toward  Kirksville,  in  Adair  County. 
McNiel's  army,  by  forced  marches,  came  within  a  few 
miles  of  the  Confederates  on  the  evening  of  August  5, 
1862,  and  went  into  camp. 

At  early  dawn,  the  Union  forces  were  in  the  saddle. 
Lieutenant  J.  G.  Jamison,  with  Company  B,  Ninth 
Missouri  State  militia,  started  in  advance,  and  soon 
came  upon  the  smoldering  camp  fires  of  the  enemy. 
They  pressed  on,  and  about  eleven  o'clock,  when  three 
or  four  miles  from  Kirksville,  they  came  in  sight  of  a 


26l 

few  of  Porter's  rear  guard  who  were  engaged  in  tearing 
up  a  bridge.  Jamison  opened  fire  on  them,  and  wounded 
one  man  ;  and  the  others  fled. 

In  half  an  hour,  the  advance  of  the  Union  forces  were 
within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  town,  and  were  form- 
ing in  line  of  battle  on  an  open  meadow  east  of  Kirks- 
ville,  when  the  main  body  came  up.  McNiel  and  his 
staff  rode  down  a  slight  descent  toward  a  cornfield, 
when  some  shots  were  fired  at  them,  and  drove  them 
back. 

Not  a  Confederate  was  in  sight.  The  quiet  little  vil- 
lage seemed  uninhabited.  A  cow  was  peacefully  graz- 
ing on  the  common,  and  a  calf  could  be  seen  sporting 
in  the  yard  of  a  house  near  by.  The  Union  line  was 
just  west  of  the  two-story  house  of  Mr.  Oldham,  which 
is  still  standing. 

Three  or  four  puffs  of  smoke  issued  from  behind  a 
wood  pile  in  the  east  part  of  the  town,  and  some  musket 
balls  flew  over  the  heads  of  the  Union  troops.  One  of 
the  balls  struck  a  window  sill  in  the  Oldham  house. 
McNiel  was  still  at  a  loss  to  locate  the  position  of  the 
enemy,  so  he  called  for  volunteers  to  ride  forward  in 
the  hope  of  rousing  them.  A  lieutenant  of  the  Merrills 
Horse,  with  ten  men,  rode  out  from  the  line. 

At  the  word  "  Forward !  "  the  lieutenant  and  his  brave 
followers  dashed  down  under  the  hill  on  the  northeast 
part  of  the  town,  and  were  off  like  the  wind.  For  a 
moment  they  were  lost  to  view.  Then  came  the  rapid 
discharge  of  firearms,  and  rattling  volleys.  The  men 
were  seen  to  ride  past  a  cornfield,  nearer  to  the  town. 
Every  one  held  his  breath,  expecting  that  the  whole 


262 


band  would  be  annihilated;  but  a  moment  later  they 
were  seen  galloping  back  with  not  a  saddle  emptied. 
Right  back  into  the  ranks  they  flew.  Then  one  horse, 
which  had  been  shot  through,  sank  dead,  and  a  wounded 
cavalryman  fell  fainting  from  his  saddle. 

The  howitzers  meanwhile  had  been  playing  on  the 
town  with  little  effect  except  to  kill  the  calf  that  was 
playing  in  the  yard.  On  the  return  of  the  lieutenant 
and  his  cavalrymen,  McNiel  said,  — 

"Advance  and  take  the  town,  house  by  house,  and 


keep  yourselves  in  line  as  well  as  ^If  possible." 
The  order  was  given  to  march,  if  and  the  en- 
emy opened  fire.  A  wide  expanse  of  meadow  had 
to  be  crossed,  in  the  face  of  raking  volleys  from  the 
Confederates.  The  Union  soldiers  crossed  the  com- 
mon, and  drove  the  enemy  from  house  to  house  and 


263 

from  street  to  street  until  Porter's  forces  were  pushed 
into  the  wood  west  of  the  town. 

The  Confederate  loss  was  about  three  hundred  killed 
and  wounded,  and  two  hundred  made  prisoners.  Mc- 
Niel  had  eight  killed  and  a  large  number  wounded. 

On  the  /th  of  August,  the  day  after  the  battle, 
McNiel  had  sixteen  of  the  prisoners  shot  for  having 
been  paroled  and  again  taking  up  arms  against  their 
country.  On  the  8th,  he  marched  his  force  to  Macon 
City.  Meanwhile  Porter  and  the  remnant  of  his  army, 
about  twenty-five  hundred  men,  crossed  the  Chariton 
at  Sloans  Point,  and  hurried  westward,  hoping  to  form 
a  junction  with  Poindexter. 

Colonel  Guitar,  with  a  considerable  force  and  some 
pieces  of  artillery,  came  upon  the  Confederates  at 
Comptons  Ferry  and  drove  them  back  toward  the 
Chariton  again.  They  crossed  at  Sees  Ford,  and  there 
made  a  stand  against  Guitar,  who  did  not  cross  the 
river. 

Three  hours  after  McNiel  went  down  the  road  to 
Macon  City,  Porter's  army  crossed  the  road  in  his  rear 
at  Blanket  Grove.  After  a  little  more  insignificant 
skirmishing,  he  disbanded  all  his  men,  except  his  origi- 
nal company  of  eighty,  with  which  number  he  crossed 
the  river  and  joined  Price. 


XXXIX. 
ORDER    NUMBER    ELEVEN. 

THERE  were  many  cruel  acts  during  the  war,  but 
perhaps  the  most  cruel  was  what  was  known  as 
"  General  Ewing's  Special  Order  Number  Eleven." 
There  have  been  several  excuses  offered  for  this  order, 
but  before  one  can  understand  either  it,  or  the  excuses 
offered  for  it,  a  sketch  of  the  war  is  essential. 

Fremont  was  succeeded  by  Hunter  in  command  of 
the  Western  Department  November  2,  1861.  Five 
days  later,  Grant  defeated  the  Confederates  at  Belmont 

Price,  McCulloch,  and  Van  Dorn,  having  concen- 
trated their  forces  at  a  place  called  Elk  Horn  Tavern 
(or  Pea  Ridge)  in  Arkansas,  were  attacked  by  General 
Curtis  on  March  6,  1862.  The  Confederates  were 
defeated  with  heavy  losses,  General  McCulloch  being 
killed,  and  Price  wounded. 

At  Springfield,  Missouri,  in  January,  1863,  and  at 
Cape  Girardeau  the  following  April,  General  Marma- 
duke  of  the  Confederate  army  was  repulsed.  In 
August  of  the  same  year,  the  Confederate  General 
Jeff  Thompson  was  captured. 

Thus  the*> Confederate  forces  were  nearly  all  driven 
out  of  Missouri  during  the  first  two  years  of  the  war ; 
but  the  State  was  not  at  peace.  The  long  border  war- 

264 


265 

fare  carried  on  between  1856  and  1861  was  now  bearing 
terrible  fruit.  The  jayhawkers  and  guerrillas,  who 
began  to  plunder  and  kill  four  years  before  the  war, 
doubled  their  acts  of  violence  after  it  had  begun. 

They  became  widely  known  as  guerrillas  on  one  side 
and  militia  plunderers  on  the  other.  Of  course,  how- 
ever, all  the  militia  were  not  plunderers.  Many  thou- 
sands of  the  bravest  and  best  soldiers  in  the  Union 
army  were  from  the  Missouri  militia.  But  there  were 
two  or  three  border  regiments,  composed  mostly  of  men 
who  had  been  jayhawkers,  who  did  but  little  fighting, 
and  a  good  deal  of  pillaging  from  persons  supposed  to 
be  in  sympathy  with  the  people  of  the  South.  On  the 
Confederate  side,  there  were  large  bands  of  guerrillas 
and  bushwhackers,  who  carried  on  a  war  of  plunder 
and  extermination. 

The  last  named  were  under  such  notorious  chiefs  as 
William  Quantrell,  George  Todd,  and  Bill  Anderson. 
Their  usual  mode  of  warfare  was  to  lie  at  the  roadside 
in  a  thicket,  and  fire  on  small  parties  of  soldiers  as  they 
passed. 

In  1863,  Quantrell's  guerrillas  seemed  to  be  the  only 
Confederates  capable  of  holding  their  position  in  Mis- 
souri. The  chief  would  concentrate  his  force  in  a  few 
hours,  and  strike  a  paralyzing  blow  at  his  enemy ;  then 
the  band  would  scatter  and  vanish  as  if  the  earth  had 
swallowed  them  up.  The  secret  of  their  disappearance 
was  that  in  Jackson,  Bates,  Cass,  and  Clay  counties 
the  guerrillas  had  many  friends,  who  evident!  sheltered 
them  and  concealed  them  from  their  pursuers. 

The  object  of  the  guerrillas  was  to  harass  the  Union 


266 


soldiers  and  prevent  them  from  concentrating  against 
Price.  The  Union  officers  discovered,  that,  while  they 
could  keep  the  Confederate  armies  out  of  the  State,  it 
was  impossible  to  drive  out  the  guerrillas. 

"  They  live  like  rats  in   holes  in  the  ground,"  one 
officer  declared  after  a  long  and  useless  chase. 

The  many  terrible  and  daring  deeds  of  the  guerrillas 
would  fill  a  large  book.  It  is  said  that  one  of  them, 
disguised  as  an  old  woman,  rode  into  Independence  on 
horseback  when  the  town  was  filled  with  soldiers.  The 
long  riding  skirt  hid  his  boots, 
and  all  went  well  until  he 
started  to  leave  the  town. 
Just  as  he  was  riding 
past  one  of  the  first  sen- 
tries, a  sudden  puff  of 
wind  lifted  his  skirts, 
and  displayed  his  boots 
and  spurs. 

"  It's  a  man  !  It's  a 
man  !  "  cried  one  of  the 
sentries. 

Being  discovered,  the 
guerrilla   made   no   fur- 
ther   effort    to    disguise 
himself.      Throwing   him- 
self  astride  the   horse,   he 
the  rein  in  his  teeth,  and 
a    revolver    in    each   hand,    and 
started  at  full  speed  away  from  the  town. 
"Halt!  halt!  halt!"  shouted  the  sentry. 


took 


267 

As  the  guerrilla  paid  no  heed  to  the  command,  the 
sentry  fired  at  him,  the  ball  whizzing  close  to  the  ear 
of  the  fleeing  man.  The  outside  pickets  were  roused 
by  the  firing ;  but,  seeing  a  woman  riding  furiously 
toward  them,  they  hesitated  for  a  moment  to  shoot. 

That  moment's  delay  was  fatal.  The  disguised 
guerrilla  fired  a  stream  of  shots  from  each  revolver, 
mortally  wounding  two  of  the  guards,  while  the  third 
saved  himself  by  leaping  into  a  thicket.  The  guerrilla 
escaped. 

With  all  the  guerrillas  Quantrell  could  gather  (about 
five  hundred)  he  marched  to  Lawrence,  Kansas,  burned 
the  town,  and  killed  a  number  of  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren (August  13,  1863). 

So  terrible  a  scourge  had  these  bands  become,  that 
it  was  thought  necessary  to  resort  to  some  extreme 
measures  in  order  to  rid  the  country  of  them.  Gen- 
eral Thomas  Ewing  was  at  this  time  in  command  of 
the  military  district  of  which  Kansas  City  formed  the 
center.  On  the  25th  day  of  August,  1863,  he  issued 
an  order  called  SPECIAL  ORDER  NUMBER  ELEVEN. 

This  was  to  the  effect  that  all  persons  living  in  Cass, 
Jackson,  and  Bates  counties,  Missouri,  and  in  that  part 
of  Vernon  included  in  the  "district  of  the  border,"  were 
ordered  to  leave  their  houses  within  fifteen  days,  unless 
they  lived  within  one  mile  of  the  limits  of  Independence, 
Hickman  Mills,  Pleasant  Hill,  or  Harrisonville,  or  in 
that  part  of  Kaw  Township,  Jackson  County,  north  of 
Brush  Creek  and  west  of  the  Big  Blue,  including 
Kansas  City  and  Westport.  Those  who  could  prove 
their  loyalty  were  to  be  granted  permission  to  live  at 


268 

some  military  post,  but  those  who  could  not  were  to 
leave  the  district.  All  grain  and  hay  found  in  the 
fields  were  to  be  taken  to  military  stations.  All  prod- 
ucts of  the  farm  not  thus  removed  by  the  Qth  of  Sep- 
tember were  to  be  destroyed. 

This  was  an  act  more  cruel  in  many  cases  than  tak- 
ing life,  for  thousands  of  helpless  women  and  children 
were  made  homeless.  Eviction  followed  close  upon 
the  order.  The  guerrilla  warfare  which  had  raged  for 
two  years  on  the  border  had  driven  away  many  of  the 
people  in  these  counties,  and  this  order  entirely  depopu- 
lated them.  Many  were  the  scenes  of  suffering  and 
wretchedness  caused  by  the  evictions.  These  have 
been  rendered  famous  by  Mr.  George  C.  Bingham, 
"the  Missouri  artist,"  in  his  great  painting  entitled 
"Order  No.  n." 

A  soldier  who  was  forced  to  drive  the  poor  people 
from  their  homes,  among  other  incidents,  describes  the 
following,  — 

"  We  were  sent  to  remove  a  family  living  in  Cass 
County.  Unfortunately,  our  commanding  officer  was 
an  unprincipled,  brutal  fellow,  who  was  nearly  always 
under  the  influence  of  liquor.  We  reached  the  house 
shortly  after  dark. 

"  There  were  no  men  about  the  place.  Two  frightened 
women  and  four  or  five  children  were  the  only  occu- 
pants of  the  house.  We  surrounded  the  building,  and 
the  lieutenant  went  to  the  door  and  rapped  on  it  with 
his  sword  hilt.  A  woman  came  to  the  window  and 
asked,  — 

" '  What  do  you  want  ? ' 


269 

"  '  Why  haven't  you  moved  according  to  orders  ? '  the 
officer  demanded. 

" '  We  are  all  sick,  and  there  are  no  men  here,'  she 
answered. 

"The  officer  swore  some  ugly  oaths,  and  said  they 
should  be  moved  out  at  once.  The  women  begged 
him  to  let  them  remain  until  daylight.  We  interceded 
for  them,  and  the  lieutenant  finally  agreed  that  they 
might  stay ;  but  he  broke  down  the  door,  and  searched 
the  house  for  arms  and  men,  swearing  he  would  kill 
every  man  he  found. 

"  The  search  proved  fruitless.  When  it  was  over,  the 
half-drunken  officer  stood  in  the  door  abusing  the  cower- 
ing women,  who,  pale  and  trembling,  crept  back  to  the 
bed,  and  remained  mute.  While  our  intoxicated  lieu- 
tenant was  making  terrible  threats,  there  appeared  at 
one  of  the  windows  the  sad  face  of  a  child.  She 
was  not  over  five  years  of  age,  but  had  the  thoughtful 
demeanor  of  an  adult.  With  her  elbow  resting  on  the 
window  sill,  and  her  head  leaning  on  her  hand,  she 
gazed  upon  us.  Her  little  pinched  face  was  very  pale. 
Her  large,  tearless  eyes  were  sad,  and  she  heaved  such 
sighs  and  looked  so  sorrowful  that  she  would  have 
melted  any  heart  that  was  human. 

"  I  could  no  more  look  on  that  child  and  restrain  my 
tears  than  I  could  quit  breathing.  I  called  the  attention 
of  several  of  my  comrades  to  her,  and  not  an  eye  that 
beheld  her  was  dry.  Next  morning  we  drove  the  family 
away,  burned  their  house,  and  destroyed  all  their  prop- 
erty. Heaven  only  knows  what  the  fate  of  those  women 
and  children  was." 


2/0 

The  counties  included  in  General  Ewing's  Special 
Order  Number  Eleven  were  almost  completely  devas- 
tated. For  years  after  the  war,  only  blackened  chim- 
neys and  abandoned  orchards  remained  to  tell  where 
happy  homes  had  once  been.  What  became  of  all  the 
people  driven  away  from  their  possessions,  is  not  known. 

Nearly  every  one,  probably,  has  read  of  the  eviction 
of  the  Acadians,  as  described  by  Longfellow  in  his 
beautiful  poem,  "  Evangeline."  Scores  of  stories  fully 
as  sad  as  "  Evangeline  "  might  be  written  of  Ewing's 
Order  Number  Eleven. 

Fortunately,  some  of  the  soldiers  sent  to  enforce  the 
order  were  honest  and  kind.  In  one  instance,  when  the 
women  and  children  had  been  driven  from  the  house, 
and  the  building  set  on  fire,  a  woman  went  to  a  soldier 
who  had  shown  more  of  a  gentlemanly  spirit  than  the 
others,  and  said,  — 

"There  is  three  hundred  and  thirty  dollars  in  gold 
in  the  front  room." 

"  What  part  of  the  room  is  it  in  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  The  southeast  corner,  under  the  carpet.  The  bureau 
is  over  it." 

The  flames  were  roaring  about  the  building,  the  room 
was  already  full  of  smoke,  and  blazes  were  licking 
the  sides  of  the  door,  when  the  soldier  ran  into  the 
house. 

The  upper  story  was  already  ablaze,  and  bits  of 
burning  wood  were  dropping  down  from  above.  The 
woman  was  sorry  she  had  told  him  of  the  money, 
for  it  seemed  as  if  it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to 
escape  from  the  burning  building.  But  a  few  moments 


later,  he  leaped  from  the  flames,  and,  leading  her  aside, 
placed  the  money  in  her  hands. 

"Take  it,"  whispered  the  noble  soldier.  "Don't  let 
the  others  know  it ;  for  there  are  some  who  would  take 
it  from  you." 

"Won't  you  take  some  of  it? "  she  began. 

"  Not  a  cent.  You  will  need  it  all  before  this  is 
over." 

Such  heroic  deeds  lighten  the  darkest  page  in  the 
history  of  Missouri.  War  develops  the  true  nature  of 
men.  Those  naturally  brutal  are  made  more  so  by  it, 
while  those  brave  and  gentle  become  heroes. 

If  General  Ewing's  Order  Number  Eleven  was  in- 
tended to  end  the  guerrilla  warfare,  it  was  a  miserable 
failure.  The  ruined  district  became  a  great  desert 
which  the  guerrillas  made  their  rendezvous,  and  their 
depredations  became  more  terrible  than  they  had  ever 
been  before. 


XL. 


END    OF   THE   WAR. 

DURING  the  years  1863 
and  1864  there  were 
many  skirmishes  in  Mis- 
souri, but  no  great  battles. 
Large  Confederate  ar- 
mies were  kept  out  of 
the  State,  but  the  Union 
forces  found  it  im- 
possible to  keep  down 
the  prowling  bands 
of  bushwhackers  and 
guerrillas.  Their  dep- 
redations made  it  neces- 
sary to  maintain  a  standing 
army  in  the  State. 
For  the  most  part,  military  operations  in  1864  degen- 
erated into  a  savage  guerrilla  warfare.  The  greatest 
outrage  committed  by  the  Confederate  outlaws  was  the 
robbing  of  Centralia,  September  27,  1864,  and  the  mas- 
sacre of  a  large  number  of  Federal  soldiers. 

Bill  Anderson,  with  about  four  hundred  guerrillas, 
went  to  the  farm  of  Mr.  M.  G.  Singleton,  a  few  miles 
from  Centralia,  on  the  night  of  September  26.  Early 

272 


2/3 

next  morning,  small  scouting  parties  proceeded  to  the 
village  and  began  taking  horses  and  robbing  stores. 

An  hour  or  so  later,  Anderson  and  the  others  also 
went  to  Centralia,  which  was  on  what  was  then  the 
North  Missouri  Railroad,  —  now  a  part  of  the  Wabash 
system.  About  eleven  o'clock  the  stagecoach  from 
Columbia  arrived  at  the  village.  The  guerrillas  sur- 
rounded it  with  cocked  revolvers,  crying,— 

"  Out  with  your  pocketbooks  !  " 

The  passengers  were  robbed,  and  the  horses  taken 
from  the  stage.  About  half  past  eleven  the  train  from 
St.  Louis  came  in  sight.  Bill  Anderson  placed  his  men 
along  the  railroad;  and,  as  the  train  approached  the 
depot,  they  began  throwing  ties  across  the  track. 

There  were  twenty-three  soldiers  on  the  train.  Most 
of  them  were  on  sick  furloughs,  going  to  their  homes 
in  north  Missouri  or  Iowa.  A  big  sergeant  glanced 
out  of  the  car  window  as  the  train  began  to  slow  up, 
and  cried,  — 

"There  is  Bill  Anderson,  boys.    Now  prepare  to  die." 

He  drew  a  revolver,  and  would  have  defended  him- 
self, had  he  not  been  dissuaded  from  doing  so,  on 
account  of  the  women  and  children  on  board.  The 
train  stopped,  and  the  guerrillas  robbed  the  passengers. 
The  soldiers  were  taken  from  the  cars,  marched  to  the 
town,  and  formed  in  a  line.  At  the  word  "  Fire  !  " 
Anderson  and  three  or  four  others  began  shooting 
them.  Several  tried  to  escape,  and  others  begged  for 
their  lives.  One  man  ran  under  the  depot  platform, 
but  the  building  was  set  on  fire,  and  as  he  came  out 
he  was  shot  in  the  head. 

STO.  OF   MO. —  1 8 


2/4 

Having  killed  all  the  soldiers,  robbed  the  town,  and 
burned  the  depot  and  train,  Anderson  and  his  men 
retired  to  the  woods  about  six  or  eight  miles  west  of 
Centralia. 

Major  Johnson,  of  the  Thirty-ninth  Missouri  U.  S. 
volunteers,  entered  the  town  with  about  one  hundred 
and  seventy-five  raw  recruits  a  short  time  after  Ander- 
son had  left.  Incensed  by  the  barbarous  acts  of  the 
guerrillas,  Johnson  determined  to  follow  and  attack 
them  with  his  inferior  force.  It  is  said,  that,  as  he  was 
leaving  Centralia  for  that  purpose,  a  young  girl  sprang 
before  him,  and,  seizing  his  horse's  bridle,  begged  him 
with  tears  in  her  eyes  not  to  go.  He  heeded  not  her 
warning,  but  led  his  soldiers  across  the  prairie  to  battle. 

An  hour  later,  Major  Johnson  and  one  hundred  and 
thirty-eight  of  his  men  were  lying  dead  on  the  prairie, 
and  the  remainder  of  his  command  was  flying  north- 
ward to  Renick,  a  small  town  ten  miles  from  Centralia. 


Early  in  September,  1864,  it  became  evident  that 
General  Sterling  Price,  who  was  in  the  northern  part 
of  Arkansas,  intended  to  invade  Missouri.  General 
Rosecrans,  who  was  now  in  command  of  the  Union 
forces  in  Missouri,  had  not  soldiers  enough  to  repel  so 
large  an  army  as  Price  was  reported  to  have.  The 
War  Department  realized  the  situation  of  Rosecrans, 
and  sent  General  A.  J.  Smith,  with  six  thousand  men, 
to  reinforce  him. 

About  the  middle  of  September,  Price  entered  Mis- 
souri with  a  considerable  army,  and  marched  on  Pilot 


2/5 

Knob,  where  a  brigade  of  Union  troops  under  General 
H.  S.  Ewing  was  stationed.  Ewing  resisted  two  of 
Price's  assaults,  but  finally  was  driven  from  Pilot  Knob, 
and  fled  northwest.  His  men  marched  sixty  miles  in 
thirty-nine  hours.  They  then  reached  the  Southeast- 
ern Railroad  at  Harrison,  where  they  hoped  to  get  a 
few  hours'  rest,  but  were  disappointed.  The  Confed- 
erate General  Jo  Shelby  had  been  close  at  their  heels, 
and  here  he  overtook  them  and  attacked  them  furi- 
ously. Ewing's  exhausted  troops  defended  themselves 
for  thirty  hours,  and  then  reinforcements  from  Rolla 
came  and  drove  Shelby  away. 

Price,  meanwhile,  advanced  boldly  in  a  northerly  di- 
rection, driving  the  small  detachments  of  Union  troops 
before  him.  For  some  time  it  was  a  matter  of  doubt 
which  the  Confederate  general  intended  to  attack,  Jef- 
ferson City  or  St.  Louis.  He  marched  to  Richwoods, 
within  forty  miles  of  St.  Louis,  in  order  to  draw  the 
Union  generals  in  that  direction.  Then  he  made  a 
sudden  flank  movement,  and  began  a  rapid  march 
toward  Jefferson  City,  burning  the  bridges  behind  him 
as  he  went ;  and  he  reached  the  place  before  his  pur- 
suers could  overtake  him. 

The  Union  officers,  however,  were  not  outgeneraled 
by  Price.  Some  of  the  best  in  the  State  believed  from 
the  first  that  the  wily  Confederate  intended  to  seize  the 
State  capital.  General  Brown,  with  a  small  force  of 
Union  troops,  was  stationed  there,  and  General  Fisk, 
with  such  force  as  he  could  gather  about  him,  hastened 
to  his  aid.  General  Rosecrans  ordered  all  the  enrolled 
militia,  and  such  other  troops  as  could  be  spared,  to 


276 

march  at  once  to  Jefferson  City ;  and  General  A.  J. 
Smith,  with  about  six  thousand  Union  soldiers,  was 
close  after  Price  even  as  he  marched  on  the  capital. 

When  the  Confederate  army  reached  the  Moreau 
River,  five  miles  below  the  capital,  it  encountered  the 
outposts  of  the  Union  army  under  Brown  and  Fisk. 
After  a  slight  skirmish,  Price  crossed  the  river  and 
advanced  on  the  city.  But  the  forces  of  Brown  and 
Fisk,  with  the  aid  of  citizens  from  all  the  country 
round,  had  thrown  up  breastworks  and  planted  batter- 
ies, which  it  would  take  the  Confederates  too  long  to 
capture.  General  Price  found  himself  about  to  be 
caught  in  a  trap,  between  Brown  and  Fisk  on  one  side, 
and  Smith  on  the  other ;  so  he  marched  on  westward. 

Though  retreating,  Price  was  not  defeated.  General 
Jo  Shelby,  one  of  his  officers,  captured  the  town  of 
Glasgow,  and  Price  himself  defeated  Curtis  at  the  Little 
Blue  Creek,  October  20.  On  the  23d,  however,  the 
Union  cavalry  defeated  Price's  rear  guard  and  drove 
the  Confederates  out  of  Independence,  Jackson  County. 

From  Independence,  General  Price  retreated  south 
into  Arkansas.  His  retreat  was  well  conducted,  and 
was  almost  one  continuous  fight  from  Jefferson  City  to 
the  Arkansas  line.  During  that  retreat  two  notorious 
guerrillas,  George  Todd  and  Bill  Anderson,  were  killed. 

Except  for  skirmishes  with  bands  of  guerrillas,  the 
departure  of  Price  from  Missouri  ended  the  war  in  that 
State.  And  only  about  six  months  later  came  the  sur- 
render of  Lee  and  other  generals,  after  which  there  was 
peace  throughout  the  nation. 


XLI. 
THE    IRONCLAD    OATH. 

FOR  four  years  Missouri  had  been  under  military 
government.  The  people  had  become  thoroughly 
tired  of  it,  and  at  the  same  time  there  was  a  demand 
for  a  change  in  the  State  constitution.  Even  before 
the  war  ended,  the  party  in  power  was  anxious  to  bring 
some  amendments  before  the  people. 

At  the  November  election  in  1864,  the  people  chose 
delegates  to  a  State  constitutional  convention.  The 
members  of  this  body  —  sixty-six  in  number  —  met  in 
the  Mercantile  Library  Hall,  in  the  city  of  St.  Louis, 
January  6,  1865.  After  passing  an  ordinance  abol- 
ishing slavery,  they  framed  what  was  known  as  the 
"  Drake  constitution,"  so  called  from  the  name  of  their 
vice  president.  The  disfranchising  portions  of  the  in- 
strument were  called  the  "  Draconian  code." 

The  third  section  of  the  Drake  constitution  provided 
that  no  one  who  had  ever  participated  in  the  Rebellion 
against  the  United  States,  or  had  given  aid,  comfort, 
countenance,  or  support  to  persons  engaged  in  it,  or 
who  had  ever  sympathized  with  the  cause,  or  with  those 
engaged  in  the  cause,  should  be  permitted  to  hold  office 
or  vote  at  any  election. 

Section  five  required  that  every  one  who  wished  to 
vote  or  hold  office  should  first  make  oath  that  he 

277 


278 

was  familiar  with  the  third  section  of  the  constitution, 
and  had  never  violated  any  of  its  provisions.  This 
was  commonly  called  the  "ironclad  oath,"  or  "test 
oath." 

Not  only  were  disqualifications  provided  for  voters 
and  officeholders,  but  persons  unable  to  take  the  oath 
were  prohibited  from  pursuing  certain  vocations.  No 
one  could  practice  law,  or  hold  an  office  in  any  corpo- 
ration, or  engage  as  a  professor  or  teacher  in  any  edu- 
cational institution,  public  or  private  school,  unless  he 
or  she  first  took  the  oath ;  and  it  was  also  required  of 
ministers  of  the  gospel,  and  even  of  Sunday-school 
teachers,  male  and  female. 

Notwithstanding  the  many  objectionable  features  of 
the  constitution,  it  contained  some  valuable  provisions. 
The  section  on  education  was  one  of  the  wisest  enacted 
by  any  convention.  One  of  its  provisions,  which  many 
regret  was  not  retained  in  the  present  constitution,  was 
to  the  effect  that  after  a  certain  length  of  time  no  one 
should  be  permitted  to  vote  who  could  not  write  his 
own  name,  and  read  the  ballot  he  proposed  to  vote. 

An  election  was  held  June  6,  1865,  for  the  acceptance 
or  rejection  of  the  constitution.  All  who  voted  were 
required  to  take  the  "ironclad  oath"  before  doing  so. 
This  was  very  unfair,  because  it  put  in  force  a  measure 
before  it  really  became  a  law.  The  constitution  was 
adopted  by  a  majority  of  less  than  two  thousand. 

Some  of  the  best  Union  men  in  the  State  opposed  it. 
General  F.  P.  Blair,  the  brave  soldier  who  did  more, 
perhaps,  than  any  other  man  to  keep  the  State  in  the 
Union,  refused  to  take  the  "ironclad  oath,"  and  became 


279 

its  bitterest  opposer.  Like  many  others,  he  believed  in 
forgiving  an  erring  brother  who  had  fought  on  the  Con- 
federate side,  and  in  granting  him  full  citizenship,  now 
that  the  war  was  over. 

It  soon  became  apparent  that  a  division  in  the 
Republican  party  would  follow  the  extreme  measures 
taken  by  the  faction  in  power,  called  "  Radicals."  In 
1870,  this  section  of  the  party  renominated  Joseph  W. 
McClurg  for  governor,  and  the  other  faction,  which 
was  opposed  to  the  Drake  constitution,  nominated  B. 
Gratz  Brown.  The  latter  faction  was  called  the  Lib- 
eral Republican  party.  The  Democrats  had  no  ticket 
in  the  field  this  year,  as  their  party  was  too  weak  to 
hope  for  success ;  but  most  of  them  supported  Brown 
and  his  followers,  who  promised  to  repeal  the  "  iron- 
clad oath  "  and  all  laws  growing  out  of  it.  The  Lib- 
eral Republican  ticket  was  elected,  and  the  objection- 
able disqualifications  were  in  due  time  repealed. 

There  is  a  story  told  of  an  old  man  who  had  been 
disfranchised  by  the  "  ironclad  oath,"  which  illustrates 
the  feeling  entertained  by  some  of  the  people  of  Mis- 
souri in 'regard  to  it.  The  old  man  was  very  sick.  His 
relatives  and  friends  had  given  up  all  hope  of  his  re- 
covery, and  even  the  doctor  was  in  despair. 

The  election  of  1870  came  off  while  he  was  in  the 
most  critical  stage.  The  returns  were  being  announced 
in  the  village,  and  some  one  came  into  the  sick-room 
and  whispered  that  the  Republicans  were  defeated. 

"What -is  that?"  asked  the  old  man  who  was  sup- 
posed to  be  dying. 

"The  Republicans  are  defeated,  Uncle  Isaac  —  " 


280 


"  Thank  the  Lord  for  that!  " 

"  Don't  excite  yourself,  Uncle.  You  are  very  sick, 
and  may  not  recover  if  —  " 

"  Recover !  "  cried  the  sick  man,  starting  up  in  bed. 
"  Do  you  think  I'm  going  to  die,  when  there's  a  chance 


for  me  to  vote  again?  No;  I'll  live  to  see  the  ironclad 
oath  smashed  to  flinders." 

The  old  man  recovered,  and  lived  to  exercise  again 
the  rights  of  citizenship  at  the  polls.  He  often 
declared,  — 

"  I  couldn't  die  until  Missouri  was  free  from  that 
pernicious  ironclad  oath  !  " 


XLII. 
RESTORATION   OF    PROSPERITY. 

AFTER  the  year  1864,  Missouri  was  at  peace,  ex- 
cept for  the  bands  of  robbers  who  were  the  out- 
growth of  the  guerrillas.  For  nearly  twenty  years, 
these  ex-guerrillas  or  bandits  committed  the  boldest 
depredations.  They  plundered  village  banks  in  broad 
daylight,  and  on  one  occasion  boldly  robbed  the  treas- 
urer of  the  Kansas  City  Fair  Association  in  the  midst  of 
thousands  of  people.  They  stopped  railway  trains  and 
stagecoaches,  and  murdered  and  robbed  the  passengers. 
So  formidable  did  these  desperate  brigands  become, 
that  for  a  while  they  checked  immigration,  but,  one 
after  another,  they  were  killed  or  captured,  until  their 
number  was  greatly  reduced. 

On  April  3,  1882,  Jesse  James,  the  reputed  chief  of 
the  Missouri  outlaws,  was  killed  at  St.  Joseph.  The 
deed  was  committed  by  two  members  of  his  own  band, 
who  slew  him  for  the  reward  offered  for  him,  dead  or 
alive. 

On  the  Qth  of  June  following,  a  band  of  masked  men 
who  had  robbed  the  Brookfield  bank  in  broad  daylight, 
were  captured  in  Adair  County.  A  few  weeks  later, 
Frank  James,  a  brother  of  Jesse  James,  surrendered  to 
Governor  Crittenden,  at  Jefferson  City.  This  put  an 
end  to  an  organized  banditti  in  Missouri. 

281 


282 

Although  the  outlaws  were  a  check  on  the  prosperity 
of  the  State,  they  did  not  by  any  means  wholly  restrain 
it.  With  the  dawn  of  peace  came  a  revival  of  business 
in  every  line.  The  soldiers,  returning  with  their  back 
pay  and  bounties,  began  to  put  into  cultivation  large 
tracts  of  wild  lands,  never  before  touched  with  the  plow. 
Some  of  the  returned  soldiers  became  carpenters,  some 
merchants,  some  school-teachers,  and  many  blacksmiths  ; 
but  a  large  majority  of  them  were  farmers. 

A  large  number  had  gone  to  the  war  as  boys,  but  re- 
turned men,  to  make  homes.  New  farms  were  laid  out 
everywhere.  Villages  almost  destroyed  during  the  war 
were  rebuilt,  and  grew  into  towns  and  cities,  while  new 
villages  sprang  up  and  rapidly  became  prosperous. 

Railroads  which  had  been  begun  before  the  war  were 
completed,  and  new  railroads  were  surveyed  and  built. 
People  seemed  to  have  gone  mad  over  the  building  of 
them.  Nearly  every  county  in  the  State,  and  in  fact 
nearly  every  village,  held  railroad  meetings,  and  offered 
inducements  to  railroad  companies. 

Bonds  were  recklessly  voted  for  the  purpose.  Sub- 
scriptions by  counties  and  individuals  were  enormous, 
and  the  State  would  have  been  bankrupt  had  not  the 
General  Assembly  wisely  enacted  laws  preventing 
counties  from  voting  stock  and  bonds. 

The  reckless  speculations  in  this  period  of  prosperity 
caused  men  to  become  dishonest.  Many  county  obliga- 
tions were  voted,  for  which  no  railroad  was  ever  built, 
and  it  will  take  years  for  the  people  of  those  districts 
to  pay  off  such  fraudulent  debts.  Occasionally  county 
officials  became  corrupt,  and  were  bribed  to  issue  bonds 


dishonestly.  This  in  one  case  resulted  in  the  death  of 
the  guilty  parties.  The  people  of  Cass  County,  exas- 
perated to  madness  by  the  fraudulent  issue  of  county 
bonds,  which  imposed  heavy  burdens  on  the  taxpayers 
without  giving  them  any  substantial  benefit,  resolved 
on  vengeance. 

It  was  charged  that  the  plan  had  been  made  by  Mr. 
James  C.  Cline,  the  county  attorney.  Bonds  to  the 
amount  of  several  hundred  thousand  dollars  had  been 
issued  by  the  county  court,  sold,  and  the  money  appro- 
priated by  the  county  officials.  The  accused  were  in- 
dicted and  placed  under  heavy  bail  for  their  appearance 
at  court  for  trial;  but  many  people  feared  that  they 
would  escape  just  punishment,  and  when  it  was  learned 
that  some  of  the  parties  to  the  fraud  were  going  to 
Gunn  City  on  a  railway  train,  a  large  body  of  men, 
masked  and  armed,  gathered  at  the  village. 

Gunn  City  is  on  the  Missouri,  Kansas,  and  Texas  Rail- 
way, about  eleven  miles  east  of  Harrisonville,  the  county 
seat  of  Cass  County.  There  were  about  thirty  pas- 
sengers on  board  the  train,  and  among  them  were 
James  C.  Cline,  Thomas  E.  Detro,  J.  C.  Stephenson, 
and  General  Jo  Shelby.  Stephenson  was  one  of  the 
judges  of  the  court,  and  a  party  to  the  fraudulent  issue 
of  bonds.  Cline  was  the  county  attorney,  and  Detro 
was  one  of  his  bondsmen. 

When  the  train  entered  Gunn  City,  the  engineer  saw 
a  great  pile  of  rails,  stones,  and  logs  on  the  track.  At 
the  same  moment  a  volley  of  bullets  was  fired  at  the 
locomotive,  and  he  lost  no  time  in  bringing  the  train  to 
a  standstill.  Then  seventy  masked  men  ran  forward, 


284 

and  while  some  of  them  drove  the  engineer  and  the 
fireman  from  their  posts,  the  others  kept  up  a  terrible 
fire  on  the  captured  train,  causing  the  innocent  pas- 
sengers to  quake  with  fear. 

"  Where  is  Cline  ?  Give  us  Cline  !  Come  out,  Cline, 
and  show  your  cowardly  face !  "  shouted  the  mob. 

Cline  was  hiding  in  the  baggage  car.     He  had  been 


warned  not  to  appear  in  Gunn  City,  but  he  laughed  at 
the  fears  of  his  friends.  From  the  moment  the  train 
stopped,  he  knew  he  was  doomed,  and  he  soon  deter- 
mined to  meet  his  fate  boldly.  Stepping  out  upon  the 
platform,  he  said,  — 

"  Here  I  am." 

A  yell  went  up  from  the  mob,  and  a  volley  was  fired 
at  him,  while  he  was  trying  to  draw  his  revolver  to 


28S 

defend  himself.  Pierced  by  half  a  dozen  bullets,  he  fell 
from  the  platform  among  his  enemies,  and  expired. 

Breaking  in  the  doors  and  windows  of  the  cars,  and 
threatening  to  burn  the  train,  the  angry  mob  rushed  in 
among  the  frightened  passengers,  yelling,  - 

"Where  are  the  bond  robbers?" 

"Turn  out  the  bond  thieves!" 

Judge  Stephenson  was  discovered  in  a  passenger  car. 
They  shot  him  down  and  dragged  him  out  upon  the 
grass,  where  they  again  fired  upon  him  until  he  died. 
Mr.  Detro,  Cline's  bondsman,  was  the  next  victim.  He 
was  found  in  the  mail  car,  where  he  was  fired  on,  and 
mortally  wounded.  He  was  then  dragged  to  the  road, 
and  allowed  to  bleed  to  death. 

Again  the  mob  ran  into  the  train,  yelling,  - 

"  Where  is  General  Shelby  ?     Where  is  Jo  Shelby  ?  " 

General  Shelby,  who  had  not  moved  from  his  seat, 
coolly  answered,  — 

"Here  I  am;    if  you  want  me,  come  and  get  me." 

His  tone  and  manner  were  so  defiant  that  they  de- 
cided to  leave  him  alone.  The  only  excuse  the  mob 
could  have  had  for  molesting  General  Shelby  was  that 
he  had  been  engaged  as  counsel  for  some  of  the  accused 
officials. 

Governor  Brown  and  the  State  authorities  made 
every  effort  to  bring  the  murderers  to  justice,  but  in 
vain.  They  were  never  identified. 

The  summary  manner  in  which  these  bond  swindlers 
were  punished  put  a  check  upon  the  reckless  issue  of 
bonds  by  counties.  It  is  certain  that  the  railroad  craze 
in  Missouri  was  carried  much  too  far.  Great  good  has 


286 

resulted  from  the  numerous  railroads  built  in  the  State, 
but  many  counties  heaped  up  debts  that  future  genera- 
tions of  taxpayers  will  have  to  liquidate. 


Railroads  were  not  the  only  improvements  following 
close  on  the  heels  of  peace.  Manufactures  of  almost 
every  kind  started  up  in  the  State.  Woolen  mills, 
cotton  mills,  boot  and  shoe  factories,  hat  factories,  small 
and  large,  were  put  in  operation  all  over  Missouri. 

Mining  for  iron,  lead,  zinc,  and  coal  was  resumed, 
among  the  many  other  industries,  and  it  seemed  as  if 
the  metal  age  had  come.  The  iron  industries  were 
pushed  to  a  greater  extent  than  ever  before.  The  Iron 
Mountain  and  Pilot  Knob  iron  works  were  put  in 
operation  shortly  after  the  close  of  the  war,  and  rolling 
mills  and  iron  mills  were  started,  which  have  done  a 
prosperous  business  ever  since.  Missouri  iron  has  long 
been  in  competition  with  the  Pittsburg  iron,  and  for 
many  years  large  quantities  of  it  were  shipped  to  Indi- 
ana, Ohio,  and  many  other  States  east,  south,  and  west. 
With  her  inexhaustible  mines,  Missouri  is  capable  of 
competing  with  the  world  in  the  iron  industry. 

Among  the  improvements  begun  soon  after  the  war 
was  the  construction  of  a  gigantic  bridge  across  the 
Mississippi  River  at  St.  Louis,  to  accommodate  foot 
passengers,  horses,  vehicles,  and  railway  trains.  On 
October  27,  1869,  the  eastern  pier  of  the  bridge  was 
laid  with  imposing  ceremonies. 

In  order  to  lay  the  piers  on  solid  rock  in  the  bottom 
of  the  river,  great  water-tight  boxes  or  caissons  were 


287 

made.  These  were  sunk  in  the  water  at  the  places 
where  the  piers  were  to  be,  until  the  lower  edges  were 
deep  in  the  muddy  bottom. 

Steam  pumps  were  then  set  to  work,  to  pump  the 
water  out  of  the  caissons.  When  this  was  accomplished, 
men  dug  down  under  them  until  they  came  to  a  rock 
bed.  On  the  solid  rock,  they  laid  the  foundation  of  the 
great  piers,  made  of  massive  stones  which  the  current 
could  not  carry  away. 

This  work  was  not  only  laborious,  but  also  dangerous. 
Several  men  lost  their  lives  from  poisonous  gases  which 
gathered  in  the  caissons,  or  from  the  breaking  of  ma- 
chinery. But  despite  all  danger  and  accidents  the  work 
was  pushed  on  to  completion.  Mr.  James  B.  Eads  was 
the  architect  who  planned  the  wonderful  structure,  and 
it  is  sometimes  spoken  of  as  the  Eads  Bridge.  It  was 
completed  and  formally  opened  on  July  4,  1874;  and 
until  1890,  when  the  Merchants'  Bridge  was  finished, 
St.  Louis  had  no  other  bridge  across  the  Mississippi. 


With  the  return  of  prosperity  came  a  revival  of  inter- 
est in  education.  The  State  University  at  Columbia 
was  the  only  State  educational  institution  before  the 
war.  Soon  after  peace  was  restored,  Major  J.  B. 
Merwin,  of  the  American  Journal  of  Education,  began 
advocating  a  State  agricultural  college,  and  a  school  of 
mines.  He  rallied  about  him  able  support,  and  brought 
such  influence  to  bear  on  the  Legislature,  that  in  1870 
it  established  the  Agricultural  College  at  Columbia, 
and  the  School  of  Mines  and  Metallurgy  at  Rolla. 


288 

Professor  Joseph  Baldwin,  an  able  educator  just  in 
the  prime  of  life,  came  from  Pennsylvania  to  Missouri 
about  the  year  1867.  Aided  by  Professors  J.  M.  Green- 
wood, W.  P.  Nason,  S.  M.  Pickler,  Miss  Fluhart,  Miss 
Sue  Thatcher,  and  others,  he  established  a  private  nor- 
mal school  at  Kirksville,  for  the  purpose  of  educating 
and  training  teachers.  The  venture  proved  such  a  suc- 
cess that  in  1870  the  Legislature  established  three  State 
normal  schools,  —  one  at  Kirksville,  one  at  Warrens- 
burg,  and  one  at  Cape  Girardeau,  —  and  also  the  Lin- 
coln Institute  at  Jefferson  City,  for  the  education  of 
colored  teachers.  The  educational  system  of  Missouri 
is  to-day  the  equal  of  that  of  any  State  in  the  Union. 


Missouri  is  a  remarkable  State.  Though  not  ad- 
mitted to  the  Union  till  1820,  it  now  ranks  fifth 
in  population.  The  inhabitants  to-day  number  three 
millions ;  but  this  is  only  a  tenth  of  the  population 
which  the  State  is  capable  of  supporting.  If  Missouri 
were  cut  off  from  all  the  remainder  of  the  world,  it  has 
natural  resources  within  its  own  borders  sufficient  to 
supply  thirty  million  inhabitants  with  all  the  necessaries 
and  comforts  essential  to  a  civilized  people. 

Though  there  have  been  panics  and  failures  in  all 
parts  of  the  world,  they  have  merely  checked  the  pros- 
perity of  Missouri.  That  prosperity  has  never  come  to 
a  standstill,  and  to-day  no  State  has  a  more  promising 
future. 


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